In an era where classical music often crosses paths with technology, Juan Pablo Fernández Ramos stands as a unique figure. A physicist at CERN, deeply engaged in scientific research for CIEMAT, he channels his imagination into music, blending rigorous logic and poetic expression. His latest album, La música, el tiempo y la palabra, is not just a collection of pieces, but a cohesive sonic narrative where orchestral writing meets cinematic language with surprising authenticity.
Fernández Ramos’ background is unusual for a composer: scientific by profession, yet a passionate musician since childhood. This dual identity surfaces powerfully in his music, where structural clarity and expressive freedom coexist.
The Music: Between Romanticism and Cinematic Sensibility
The album, structured as a 16-track suite, reveals a strong affinity with the late-Romantic tradition. One of the standing-out themes of the record is the core duality between the music composed by Juan Pablo Fernández Ramos (tracks 1-to-11 of the Album) and the music composed by his father, Juan Pablo Fernández Escudero (tracks 12-to-16; Ironía del destino mto 1-4 and Rapsodia en swing). Coming from deeply different backgrounds, the music sees its resolution in an album that embodies the closeness between father and son. The harmonic language often leans towards post-Wagnerian chromaticism, enriched by modal inflections and occasional jazz touches (Rapsodia en swing). The influence of German symphonism, particularly Bruckner, is evident in the grandeur of the orchestral masses and the solemn pacing of the musical discourse.
Strings dominate the sonic texture — not merely as accompaniment, but as the narrative voice itself. The writing is marked by dense counterpoint and sweeping melodies, often arranged in layered textures where the inner voices play a crucial role. The frequent use of divisi passages and expressive tremolos gives the string sections a dynamic and emotional depth rarely found in contemporary works.
Woodwinds and brass are carefully dosed, serving as coloristic and structural elements rather than leading roles. Their interventions are mostly functional to harmonic expansions and climactic reinforcement, contributing to the overall sonic balance. Percussion, far from mere rhythmic punctuation, acts as a dramaturgical tool, especially in tracks like Distopía or Ironía del destino.
The Structure: A Symphonic Tale
What is striking is the album’s inner unity. Despite being composed of individual pieces, the work behaves as a symphonic meta-suite. Motivic cells recur throughout the album, sometimes transformed, sometimes hidden within new harmonic contexts. Tracks such as El reflejo de la luz eterna and La vida de Job exemplify this approach, with thematic material that evolves organically.
The four-movement cycle Ironía del destino is arguably the album’s structural and emotional pivot, acting as a self-contained symphony within the broader suite. Its narrative arc, alternating irony, tension, and lyrical introspection, well displays Fernández Escudero’s ability to build long-range formal trajectories and to complement the compositional dialogues created in the previous tracks by Fernández Ramos.
The concluding Rapsodia en swing provides an unexpected but coherent closure. Its playful character and subtle swing rhythm offer a refreshing epilogue without betraying the album’s symphonic nature.
Beyond the Notes
Fernández Ramos’ refusal to rely on electronic elements is notable. Everything here is purely acoustic, a choice that reveals confidence in traditional orchestral forces and skillful orchestration. His music does not imitate film music; instead, it shares with it the ability to evoke vivid mental images while remaining rooted in symphonic tradition.
This album is, without doubts, a promising entry into the international modern classical scene. It bridges past and present without falling into clichés, delivering a personal and engaging sound.
Author Profile — Juan Pablo Fernández Ramos
Juan Pablo Fernández Ramos (b. 1971) is a Spanish composer and physicist based in Geneva, Switzerland, where he works as a researcher at CERN for CIEMAT (Centro de Investigaciones Energéticas, Medioambientales y Tecnológicas). His musical education began in childhood, under the guidance of his father, a professional musician. From an early age, he developed a profound passion for music, running, and philosophy, which still shape his life today. A self-taught violinist and avid orchestration enthusiast, Fernández Ramos has always approached composition as both an intellectual and emotional journey. His music, deeply influenced by the German Romantic tradition and enriched by modern cinematic colors, reflects his fascination with narrative structures, scientific thinking, and humanistic values. In 2024, he began collaborating with PaKo Music Records to bring his orchestral works to a wider international audience.