John Williams composed the official theme for the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City as a grand cantata-fanfare for orchestra and chorus, premiered by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and Utah Symphony. The piece directly draws from the Olympic motto “Citius, Altius, Fortius”(“Faster, Higher, Stronger”), originally coined in Latin by modern Olympics founder Pierre de Coubertin in 1894, but rooted in the ancient Greek ethos of athletic excellence, striving, and human potential celebrated by authors like Pindar and Aristotle.
Williams opens with the choir emphatically chanting “Citius! Altius! Fortius!” repeatedly, building heroic orchestral swells to evoke triumphant effort and glory—mirroring ancient ideals of arete (virtue through competition) and pushing limits, as in Aristotle’s praise of those who act and compete rather than merely possess talent. He innovatively adds “Clarius” (“clearer”) in the finale, suggesting clarity of mind alongside physical prowess, extending the motto to encompass intellectual and spiritual elevation of The Games.
Sung Elsewhere:
