"You might describe Julia Culp as a connoisseur's singer. Her voice was not large, her compass not wide. She never sang in opera; striking dramatic gestures were not her line. What she excelled in were the singer's rather than the vocal actress's virtues: sustained legato line, remarkable breath control, subtle colour, immaculate care for words….But ‘connoisseur's singer' does not mean that only connoisseurs can appreciate her; one becomes a connoisseur by listening to her.”

- Michael Oliver, INTERNATIONAL OPERA COLLECTOR, Autumn, 2000

JULIA CULP: The Complete Victor & Electrola Recordings, 1914 - 1926, incl. Songs by Beethoven, Purcell, Schumann, Schubert, Brahms, Mendelssohn, Liszt, Reger, Gruber, Wolf, Debussy, Weckerlin, Lieurance, de Lange, Kreisler, Horn, Bayley, Rogers, Danks, Molloy, etc.; Arias from Isræl in Egypt, Elijah & Samson et Dalila. (England) 2-Romophone 81035. Transfers by Seth B. Winner. Elaborate booklet has full discographic data, photos & notes by Alan Blyth. 35.90, the Set.

At the 10 cd-set 'Het Puik van Zoete Kelen' (One hundred year Dutch art of singing, Philips 1999) Julia Culp already marked herself - presenting with two lieder - by the way she sang the lieder. So it is a pleasant surprise that the English label recently released a 2cd-set with all the lieder that 'The Dutch Nightingale' recorded for 'The Victor Talking Machine Company'. The set is completed with her recordings for the Berlin label Electrola. To say it briefly, a historic document.

The repertoire consists of English and Irish folk songs, a few opera-aria's and many German Lieder. With orchestra, string quartet, ones with a harp, but mostly accompanied by a piano. Julia Culp had no large voice, certainly no opera voice, but within her reach of one and a half octave, it is balanced. Here technic is of all times. There is no finery, the kernel of the tones, even in the weakest passages is clear.

Depending to contemporaries she was a flamboyant personality. She was spiritual and knew how to enchant her public. Take for instance Schuberts well known lied 'Der Tod und das Mädchen'. The way how Julia Culp doses her voice, certain words accented, plays with the lengths of the notes is exceptionally beautiful. That all together is the secret of her art. From the noise on such old recordings and other imperfections, you are soon not aware of anymore. P.W.L (translation, J.L.)

..........."You might describe Julia Culp as a connoisseur’s singer. Her voice was not large, her compass not wide. She never sang in opera; striking dramatic gesture were not her line. What she excelled in were the singer’s rather than the vocal actress’s virtues: sustained legato line, remarkable breath control, subtle colour, immaculate care for words….But ‘connoisseur’s singer’ does not mean that only connoisseurs can appreciate her; one becomes a connoisseur by listening to her."

Michæl Oliver, INTERNATIONAL OPERA COLLECTOR, Autumn, 2000

Julia Culp, The Complete Victor and Electrola Recordings (1914-1926),
2CDset Romophone 81035-2

The Julia Culp cd-set is meanwhile removed from the catalog of Romophone and I don't know or the label still exists. The site is no longer reachable for some time. However ... the three cd's from DD Records are now available.
A small remark to the Romophone set and the major part of the previous Culp LP transfers: the majority of the Julia Culp 78-rpm recordings are not recorded with 78rpm, but with lower speeds, varying from 74rpm to 77rpm. Therefore her voice is in reality darker then you hear in those releases. The only exception are the 1911 and 1914 Berlins and the 1926 Electrolas. They are recorded with 78rpm, but from those recordings, only the 1926 Electrolas were released on cd (Romophone) up to now.

The 1906, 1911 and 1914 Berlins are partly (major part) present on DDR 0701, including Frauenliebe und Leben, 1910. A part (23) of the Victor's are released on DDR 0702, more Victor's(16) are released on DDR 0712, as well as the 6 Electrolas.

The Victor and Electrola recordings 1914-26
2 CD(s) - Catalog No: 81035
81035 Julia Culp
The complete Victor and Electrola recordings (1914-26)
" ... We do not hear singing like this anymore. As an emblem of vocal style, this generous two-disc set perfectly demonstrates the plentiful use of portamento, straight tone and what today would be considered excessive rubato that can be heard on many recordings from the first two decades of the last century. Exemplary program notes ..."
Opera News, August 2000

"....a beautiful voice, welll captured on record, finely reproduced in these transfers, and exceptional in the evenness of its production. ......To learn to sing Lieder you could not do better than with Culp ..."
John Steane, Gramophone, September 2000

" ... This 2-CD set of all of Julia Culp's Victor recordings and six electric Berlin Electrolas is a real treat . The Dutch contralto, for she was a contralto despite her often sounding like a lyric mezzo, was a singer of grace and refinement, and her consummate artistry is well displayed in these records. The transfers are by the American, Seth Winner, and are fine. Don' miss it ..."
Norman Linnell, Classical Express, June 2000

" ... I will play selections from this set many times in the future ..."
Frank Behrens, Entertainment Times, May 2000

" ... The two-disc set features Culp's series of recordings made for Victor in the USA from 1914 to 1917. She returned to Victor for four more titles. Finally there is the small but invaluable group of recordings made in 1926 for Electrola using the electrical process just introduced. The set has been restored in new digital transfers by Seth Winner and the booklet contains full discographical information, with notes by Alan Blyth ... "
International Record Review, March 2000

" ... These complete Victor & Electrola recordings 1914-1926 include 47 items.......all beautifully sung. She was a singer who had a very warm and mellifluous voice, able to float a lovely pianissimo, with excellent diction and a sense of words. I would most certainly very highly recommend these recordings to anyone who loves singing ..."
Stella Wright, The Massenet Society, June 2000

" ... Romophone's collection, a complete edition of her Victor and Electrola recordings, gives ample evidence of her virtues both in great Lieder and in lighter fare ..."
David Breckbill, BBC Music Magazine 

(p) 2008 Dutch Divas