Without Men?

 Not long ago the main display window of Lichfield's Waterstones was piled high, appropriately enough, with copies of Penelope Lively's novel The Road to Lichfield. Now, however, it is full of copies of something very different – The Story of Art Without Men by one Katy Hessel. 
  I am very glad that the role of women in art is being more fully explored; it's a fascinating story, and some very fine women artists are now getting their due. But really – the story of art without men? That's just silly and provocative, isn't it?  And I do wonder, looking at that Waterstones window (and indeed at certain shelves within), what it must feel like to be young man today, constantly being told that you are irrelevant, redundant or marginal, and that your masculinity is 'toxic'. It's hard enough to grow up male without that kind thing to contend with. 
  As in art, so in music: I'm delighted that so many more very fine women composers are now getting their due. Radio 3 has been doing great work on that front. As I surfaced this morning, something rather lovely was playing on that network... What was it, I wondered? Schumann perhaps? Wait a minute – it sounds a bit like Bach now... I wasn't far off with my first thought – it was this beautiful little Prelude and Fugue by Clara Schumann. Enjoy.