MA PETITE FLEUR String Quartet by Robert Miller Gets Remixed Rerelease
Cellist Dave Eggar joins violinists Katie Thomas and Erica Dicker and violist J.J. Johnson on the recording.
Studio Seven Classical has released a remixed and remastered version of Robert Miller's MA PETITE FLEUR, a string quartet arrangement by David Shenton that marks Miller's first foray into classical music outside his Project Grand Slam catalog. The nine-minute piece features cellist Dave Eggar, violinists Katie Thomas and Erica Dicker, and violist J.J. Johnson.
The Project Grand Slam catalog has never been particularly interested in staying within neat musical boundaries, and, true to form, although Ma Petite Fleur is clearly classical music, it has a fresh, uninhibited sound. Miller and Shenton make good use of the traditional string quartet format, creating a real conversation among the four string voices. At times, that dialogue flirts with dissonance, but the tensions resolve naturally, never leaving the listener without a strong sense of melody and tonal grounding.
Cellist Dave Eggar, violinists Katie Thomas and Erica Dicker and violist J.J. Johnson are not a standing string quartet, but they are terrific together and sound as though they are genuinely listening to one another-something that draws the listener in as well. There is a real sense of give-and-take in the playing that allows Miller's music to breathe, and each musician is given moments to step forward and shine without ever overpowering the ensemble. Together, they draw the listener in with the intimacy they bring to the quieter passages, especially the heartbreakingly beautiful opening measures, and dsiplay plenty of energy when the music calls for it. At one point, the wooden bodies of the instruments themselves become percussive elements, adding an unexpected rhythmic edge to the piece.
Simply put, this is nine minutes of genuinely enjoyable chamber music-making: thoughtful, expressive, beautifully played and full of personality.
Ma Petite Fleur String Quartet: 2026 Remaster
- Composer: Robert Miller
- Arranger: David Shenton
- Violins: Katie Thomas, Erica Dicker
- Viola: J.J. Johnson
- Cello: Dave Eggar
- Producers: Allison Charney, Robert Miller
- Recording Engineers: Duff Harris, Lou Holtzman
- Mix/Atmos/Mastering Engineer: Sergei Kvitko
- Associate Producer: Melissa Wakeley
- Record Label: St7dio - Classical
The recording was produced by Allison Charney and Robert Miller, with mixing and mastering by Sergei Kvitko, and was recorded at East Side Studios in New York City. It is distributed through Hitskope.
