Graeme Steele Johnson

Rather surreal to wake up to this extensive profile of my Loeffler Octet reconstruction in @washingtonpost 🤯 “[Loeffler’s Octet] survives as a vibrant example of the composer’s polyglot compositional vernacular and wide stylistic palette — the contrapuntal quartet at its core, the “smoke and mirrors” of its twin clarinets, it’s effortless channeling of symphonic sound and breadth into the crisp articulation of a smallish ensemble. “At the Library of Congress, the restored octet appears on a program with Johnson’s arrangement of Debussy’s prelude, as well as Franz Schubert’s beloved ‘Octet in F Major (D. 803)’ — another work that was almost lost to obscurity, composer in 1824 but published nearly a half-century after the composer’s death. “‘It kind of goes with this lost-and-found theme,’ Johnson says. ‘With hope that Loeffler’s octet and all of the other wonderful, deserving music that has somehow slipped through the cracks will follow Schubert into the musical pantheon.’” Very grateful to @_brodeurgram_ for shining a spotlight on this project. Read his full article at the link in my bio!

Reprising this video to announce a really exciting run of spring performances of Charles Martin Loeffler’s forgotten Octet — the first time the piece has been heard in 127 years!🤯 I’ve been working on bringing this piece back to life since I stumbled upon the unpublished manuscript four years ago, with help from an army of brilliant people onscreen and behind the scenes. I’m grateful to everyone who has listened to me talk about this music for the last four years and to everyone who has taken the risk of believing in an unknown piece, one that I believe is overwhelmingly worth the risk. Hear for yourself: March 8 | Phoenix Chamber Music Festival @phxchambermusic - Phoenix, AZ May 22 | Library of Congress @librarycongress - Washington, D.C. May 23 | The Morgan Library @themorganlibrary - New York, NY June 9 | The Stissing Center @thestissingcenter - Pine Plains, NY Audio by @oktavenaudio Video by @fourtenmedia

Betrothed to my best friend in just about the perfect day, which included many of our favorites: a teary picnic in our spot at Fort Tryon, tête de moine cheese and fresh squeezed OJ, celebratory Mister Softee, and an ambush by friends in Sheep Meadow. Thanks to everyone who made it so special and to everyone who cheered us on over the last five years, and especially to @mellissau for answering in the affirmative!

Just so touched to hear from everyone who has been kind enough to listen to our album. It’s been really interesting to see how people respond, at last, to this music that hardly got a chance to be heard in its own time. I’m so grateful to my amazing colleagues on the album and IRL for giving Loeffler’s Octet the life it never had, and to everyone who has helped champion it by listening. And it’s been nice to see that some like it as much as I do. Here are some recent generous reviews and placements: @limelightartsau Editor’s Choice, @applemusic Best 10 Classical Albums of the Month, and kind, perceptive words in @theartsfuse .

An excerpt from the third movement of Charles Martin Loeffler’s Octet, recorded for the very first time by @graemesteelejohnson on the ‘Forgotten Sounds’ album on @delosproductions . Discover ‘Forgotten Sounds’ now through the link in our bio ↸

Thank you to everyone who has listened to Forgotten Sounds over the last three weeks since it released! While I am kind of shook to see that we have over 200K streams on Apple Music, at the same time I really believe Loeffler’s music and my colleagues’ amazing playing are worth every one of those listens. For our triweekiversary, here’s another little-known Loeffler gem, recorded with the indefatigable @bridgetkibbey on a snowy day chez @adamabeshouse — in what I think may be only its second recording ever? Loeffler wrote this for voice and piano but its title was too good for us to resist: “Timbres oubliés” (Forgotten Sounds).

Catching up on a busy June full of musical delights. Highlights include: - The fourth stop on the Loeffler Octet tour for a heartwarming audience at @thestissingcenter - The best pickup Brahms Quintet known to man, or at least known to The Boston Musical Intelligencer, courtesy of @siwooviolin , @violininkristin , @melodiousmatt1 & @cellorocks77 - Opening night at @cmf_nyc with @windsync , feat. @andrealampianist & @berliozsgirlfriend - Closing nights at @arazzofestival and @festivaledelio , feat. favorite and unfamiliar music for clarinet and strings

Positively chuffed to see Forgotten Sounds on @thetimes best classical albums of 2024! I’m very grateful to all the outlets that are helping spotlight this music after more than a century of silence, and especially to my amazing colleagues for bringing it back to life so beautifully. Please have a listen at the link in my bio! @delosproductions @outheremusic

✍️ Editor’s Choice: July 2024 | The best new classical recordings ✍️ Congratulations to all these incredible artists and labels 👏 #recording #classicalrecording #classicalmusic #classicalmusician #gramophone #editorschoice

A real honor to see our album Forgotten Sounds recognized as @gramophonemagazine ’s Editor’s Choice for July and added to the magazine’s Best of 2024 list🤩 Thanks to @afarachcolton for the kind words and thoughtful listening. Read/listen yourself at the link in my bio!

With the release of ‘Forgotten Sounds’, @graemesteelejohnson is the cover of @tidal ’s Encore: New in Classical playlist - ‘These new tracks deserve a standing ovation and a repeat play. Check out the best new recordings of classical music on this playlist.’ Listen to the playlist via the link in our bio ↸

Forgotten Sounds is out today, everywhere💿🌎 This album captures six years of work, from the first arrangement I ever wrote to the title track, “Timbres oubliés,” recorded just this spring. Most of all, it represents a small army of amazingly generous artists that I’m lucky to call my friends — not only those heard on the record, but also everyone who answered questions about their instruments as I stumbled through my first arrangement, who offered guidance and support throughout my Loeffler Octet project, and who has mentored, encouraged and inspired me over these years whether they know it or not. Here’s a clip of my friends sounding amazing on the first recording of the Loeffler Octet. After 127 years of silence, you can finally listen in full wherever you get your music! 🎥: @fourtenmedia