Spanish composer, writer and music theorist (1935–2022)
In this Catalan name, the first or paternal surname is Soler and the second or maternal family name is Sardà; both are generally joined by the conjunction "i".
Josep Soler i Sardà (25 March 1935 – 9 October 2022) was a Catalonian/Spanish composer, writer, music theorist, and one of the main Catalan members of the Generación del 51.
In 2013, Soler was awarded the Gold Medal of Merit in Fine Arts awarded by the Spanish Ministry of Culture. He refused this honour,[1] stating:
"Aceptar el reconocimiento sería aceptar la autoridad del Gobierno español, y yo no quiero saber nada del ministro Wert ni del gobierno de Rajoy, porque a ellos no les interesa en absoluto ni la cultura ni la educación."
("To acknowledge this recognition is to acknowledge the authority of the Spanish government, and I do not want anything to do with minister [José Ignacio] Wert and the government of [Prime Minister Mariano] Rajoy, because they are not interested at all in either culture or education.")