MR. H. B. STOCKWELL.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume V, Issue 47, 22 November 1890, Page 9

MR. H. B. STOCKWELL.

A LL those in New Zealand who had the good fortune to attend the concerts of the Amy Sherwin Company two years ago, or those of s-Wn?j|[y during his recent tour of these islands, will recognire on this i>age the feature.,\j," of Mr H. B. Stockwell. Though it is scarcely '•Kq/’s four years since Mr Stockwell left Dunedin to try his fortune npon the concert stage, his *) name is already well known throughout Australasia ami the East.

Rather more than a decade ago Mr Stockwell arrived from London at Dunedin as a mere youth, where he remained engaged in the pursuit of commerce for the space of some seven years. Daring this period he succeeded in achieving quite a local reputation as a singer, and was wellknown as the most prominent member of the choir of St. Paul’s Church in that city. It was only three years ago, in September, 1837, that Mr Stockwell bade farewell to Dunedin for Australia, and embarked upon his present career of a professional singer, in which his rise has been so exceptionally rapid. After singing at many of the best concert- in Melbourne, Sydney, and Adelaide, he in February, 1888, became associated with Miss Amy Sherwin, and participated with her

in the tour she then made of New Zealand, with results which are still fresh in the minds of most musical |*eisons here. This lasted some three months, and then, after doing another round of Australia, the Sherwin Coni|>any, consisting of Miss Amy Sherwin and Miss Minna Fischer, Messrs Stockwell, Sherwin, Clutsam, and Lemonne, left for the Orient. There they remained from December, 1888, till June, 1889, proceeding as far as Yokohama, and everywhere in Calcutta and the chain of intermediate settlements extending along that line, Mr Stockwell uniformly ex]>erienced a most gratifying reception, not only in concert, but also in opera. In August o f year we find hint again in Sydney taking part in ‘ La Soninambula,’ as Elvino, in a way that appears to have caused great satisfaction to both his critics and his

auditors. Shortly after this he appeared at Mr Santley’s concerts in the same city, and when the great baritone subsequently proceeded to New Zealand, Mr Stockwell was still with him, contributing, as usual, quite largely to make the general success of the undertaking. Seeing the good company in which Mr Stockwell has visited us, it is scarcely necessary to dilate much upon his merits. When in his 'best form he is a host in himself, and pushes a performance along in a way it is quite pleasant to recollect. Curiously enough he does not always ‘come off'at times when his admirers are expecting it, and this not from any lack of vocal power, but from an injudicious choice of pieces, or an absence of the vein on that particular evening. His presence and manner are very agreeable, and his voice is a line tenor of robust quality, with a remarkable range, and of exceptionally good tone and power on the lower register where tenors are so deficient. Those whoheard him in the great Sant ley concerts at the Dunedin Exhibition will not have forgotten his performances in oratorio there, particularly his rendering of ‘ln Native Worth in the ‘Creation. ’ Everywhere his singing of ‘ Across the Far Blue Hills, ’Marie,’ has excited the greatest enthusiasm. <>f the eighteen solos given by him in the concerts of the Burton Company in Auckland, this song of Blumenthal's, together with ‘ Queen of the Earth,’ ‘ Estudiantina,’ and Jude’s ‘On Deck,' seem in every place he visits to precipitate the catastrophe so agreeable to both listeners and [rerformer, viz., that of ‘bringing down the house.’ Looking at the meteoric ascent of Mr Stockwell on the hemisphere of Australian music,, the one feat is that his rapid Hight may carry him out of out ken altogether to the firmament on the other side of the line, and he be lost to us for ever. For the reproduction of Mr Stockwells portrait we have to thank Mr C. J. Hemus, of Queen-street, Auckland, the patentee of the autographic inscription process visible therein.