“His intonation and passagework are exemplary, and his bow-control astonishing; sustained tone, attacks and release, and vibrato all seem perfectly obedient to his sense of phrasing and ornament — a sense which is perfectly attuned to the music.”
“Clayton Haslop provided the most brilliance, in a musically pointed, technically effortless performance of ‘Summer’ from Vivaldi’s Four Seasons.”
“His was playing of the highest sort — pearly pure, elegantly light, yet expressive, and with never a hint of exaggeration. If anything, Clayton Haslop’s playing leaned in the direction of Arthur Grumiaux — first class all the way.”
“You’ll not hear sweeter, more delicate, more fluent, more flawlessly tuned string playing anywhere.”
“The Mendelssohn Violin Concerto… turned out to be, in Clayton Haslop’s affectionate and effortless reading, an earnest showpiece of virtuosic display. Haslop offered refinement and delicacy, and demonstrated an ideal give-and-take with the orchestra. Ornaments were tossed off exquisitely; in this as in all other regards, Haslop showed unflagging taste.”
“Clayton Haslop is a highly sensitive musician with a superior command of the instrument and a presence and projection that mark the real soloist.”
“The rewarding evening was dominated by a captivating performance of Mendelssohn’s D-minor Violin Concerto. Haslop downplayed the Classical roots of this early work by de-emphasizing its elegance and simplicity in favor of its dramatic content. He exploited the contrasts between lyricism and virtuosic passages with stylish flair and seemed to savor each note of the passionate Andante.”
“It was ardent and radiant playing.”
Los Angeles Piano Quartet, Lincoln Center’s Alice Tully Hall)
“Clayton Haslop, violinist, Ronald Copes, violist and Peter Rejto, cellist play as if they’ve been listening to each other and conversing musically for many more years than they have been in fact. Attacks, releases and everything in between are truly superb.
“The strings blended so beautifully that it would be unwise and unnecessary to point out any one player. Haslop’s sound is warm and strong and he is a consummate leader. Rejto sings with eloquent abandon when necessary and supports by sensitive control of dynamics. Copes is that really unique violist, truly at one with his instrument and intensely musical. The rhythmic vitality and phrasing is unerring.” (Los Angeles Piano Quartet)
“A performance that positively danced with joy.” (Los Angeles Piano Quartet)
“Brahms’ massive Quartet in A Major, Op.26 received an appropriately extraordinary reading. With virtually note-perfect playing and a controlled intensity that neither shortchanged nor swamped Brahms’ rich flow of ideas, the musicians succeeded in making one forget all about them and concentrate instead on the music. This is perhaps the highest praise one can offer: so many “superstar” ensembles seem incapable of or unwilling to put their collective egos aside, to let the composer’s voice be heard.” (Los Angeles Piano Quartet, Phillips Collection)
“Outstanding musical delight… refined and thoroughly artistic variety rarely encountered these days… a deeply stirring and uplifting experience.” (Los Angeles Piano Quartet)
“Reverent: That’s the word for the Los Angeles Piano Quartet concert Friday evening at the Folly Theater. That the foursome seemed incapable of an unlovely sound was no small praise. That the ensemble was never less than sure and certain was astonishing — given that violinist Clayton Haslop was substituting on only one day’s notice. Haslop, the quartet’s original violinist, replaced current member Joseph Genualdi, who had illness in his family.”
“The rare art of piano and strings was celebrated in grateful fashion… each player disclosed himself as soloist of sensitive awareness… The playing was on a grand scale, and it stirred the audience to spontaneous enthusiasm. (Los Angeles Piano Quartet)
“One of the country’s top chamber ensembles.” (Los Angeles Piano Quartet)
“A radiant outpouring of effective phrasing, remarkable depth, gorgeous tone and unity of purpose… firmly establish them as a chamber ensemble able to scale the artistic heights. (Los Angeles Piano Quartet)
“I would not have missed the third recital for the world. The Haslop-Sanders Duo, violin and guitar, is the finest combination of this type I have ever heard.”
“And let me now recommend to you absolutely the most charming recording that’s come to me for review in all the time I’ve been reviewing for ‘Soundboard’. Charming? Make it beguiling. Make it seductive. Make it damned near irresistible. I play it in my office and seem to wind up replaying it again and again.
“It’s a CD (Centaur CRC 2061) featuring the wonderful Haslop/Sanders Duo in as delicious a chamber-music-with-guitar program as I’ve heard in years. …The best version of the much-recorded Giuliani Op. 85 in my whole collection; and to bring things to a splendid climax, an absolutely brilliant, downright Kreislerian performance of Sarasate’s “Carmen” fantasy guaranteed to bring down the house.
“Haslop, throughout, is never less than a real honest-to-God, old-fashioned hot-do fiddler, with a big powerful tone and tons of musical personality. What this Duo communicates best is the sheer joy of playing together. They breathe together like Siamese twins, and they can build a climax like nobody in the trade. I can’t recommend them too highly! (Ah, there’s the end; pardon me while I turn the CD back on and start over again).”
