50th Anniversary Music

C.W. Post Adjunct Music Professor Carl Strommen was commissioned by Provost Joseph Shenker to compose a piece of music for Chorus and Band to commemorate C.W. Post's 50th Anniversary. The text for Professor Strommen's composition is taken from assorted poems from "Leaves of Grass" by Walt Whitman. The title of the composition is "Setting Sail; Freedom of the Spirit."

Alexander Dashnaw, conductor of the Long Island University C.W. Post Chorus, who conducted the piece, with a piano reduction of the band parts, for the first time on September 22, 2004, said: "I think the composition is very much related to the mission of the campus and its place in history and on Long Island." He added, "It is appropriate to quote the text of a great Long Island poet and set it to music for a great Long Island college campus."  The official public premiere of the composition was held Sunday, November 21, 2004 in the Tilles Center for the Performing Arts.

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Lyrics of
Setting Sail;
Freedom of the Spirit
Text from "Leaves of Grass" by Walt Whitman
Music by Carl Strommen
Performed by Long Island University, C.W. Post Chorus
Alexander Dashnaw, Director
John Simmons, Pianist

Here is the test of wisdom, wisdom of the soul,
Here is the test of wisdom. Now is the test of time.
Here, the world before me, to that open road,
Leading where I choose to go, free to sing our song.
Light of heart, our spirit strong, we face the trackless sea.
It is the certainty, it is the excellence - it is the wisdom of the soul.

Now, the world before me, to that open road,
Leading where I choose to go, tho' it be unknown,
Joyous as we leave, fearless from this place we sail - to that distant shore.

To sail, to sail, to make the most of a jubilant song,
To dance, clap hands, exult, and shout, roll on, rejoice in the song of the sea.
Sail on, sail on, to shores unknown, to ports unseen,
Sail on, sail on, the ship is clear, and now we sail.
We are poets, musicians to come.

To sail, to sail, the world to see,
To sing, to sing, to make the most of a jubilant song.
Roll on, roll on, to ports unknown,

Our life begins, our spirit strong,
Now I take to the open road.

Now, the world before me, to that open road,
Leading where I choose to go, tho' it be unknown, this path before me,
Joyous as we leave, fearless from this place we sail - to that distant shore.

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