Purcell, Henry - I'll Sail Upon the Dog Star (FM)

A custom streaming practice/rehearsal piano track for I'll Sail Upon the Dog Star,
from A Fool's Preferment,
by Henry Purcell.

"I'll Sail Upon the Dog Star" is a famous 1688 Baroque vocal piece composed by Henry Purcell for high voice and continuous keyboard support. Originally featured in Thomas D'Urfey's play A Fool's Preferment, this virtuosic "mad song" remains a favorite choice for collegiate vocal juries, classical recitals, and competitive auditions.

This piece left an impression on me during my time in undergrad, sitting in on a lesson as a freshman or sophomore and watching/listening to Dr. Gerald Gray's animated exhortations to a student at SUNY Fredonia to bring out the manic energy and quirky lyricism of the piece. Dr. Gray passed in 2017 but there's a few songs that always remind me of him; this is one of them. Hadn't played it in a number of years before bringing it back - just getting me in the headspace to do more nimble classical arias soon!