The composer, essayist and music theorist Josep Soler i Sardà (Vilafranca del Penedès, 1935) died this Sunday at the age of 87. Considered one of the most relevant authors of contemporary music in Spain, Soler left a huge musical body of work with 16 operas, 8 symphonies, and a very wide range of concerts, oratorios, lieder and sonatas. Member of the Royal Catalan Academy of Fine Arts of Sant Jordi since 1982 and honorary director of the Badalona Conservatory, he has received numerous distinctions such as the National Music Award of Catalonia (2001), the National Music Award of Spain (2009) or the Gold Medal for Merit in the Fine Arts (2013), the latter rejected in disagreement with the cultural policy of the Rajoy government.
“A key man to understand the culture in our country”
“Accepting recognition would be accepting the authority of the Spanish government, and I don’t want to hear anything from Minister Wert or the Rajoy government, because they are not at all interested in culture or education,” Soler justified on the 27 of November 2013, shortly before the awarding ceremony of the Gold Medal for Merit in the Fine Arts. “And as a teacher I have suffered a lot with these gentlemen who govern Spain and who have deceived us all. They are not doing anything they promised and they are putting an end to culture and education,” said the Catalan composer and essayist.
“Josep Soler, composer, writer and music theorist, has died. He was one of the most important authors of contemporary music. He cultivated an extensive pedagogical work, and was director of the Badalona Conservatory. A key man for understanding the culture in our country”, tweeted the Culture area of Badalona City Council. Josep Soler’s personal collection, with more than 200 scores, is kept in the Biblioteca de Catalunya. Highlights include the operas ‘Oedipus et Iocasta’ (1972), with text by Seneca and premiered at the Gran Teatre del Liceu in 1986, ‘Jesus of Nazareth’ (1974/2004) or ‘The Garden of Delights’ (2004), with text by Jacint Verdaguer.