Litanies à la Vierge Noire

Litanies à la Vierge Noire, FP 82, is a piece of sacred music composed by Francis Poulenc in 1936 for a three-part choir of women and organ, setting a French litany recited at the pilgrimage site Rocamadour which the composer visited. The subtitle, Notre-Dame de Rocamadour, refers to the venerated black sculpture of Mary. The composition is Poulenc's first piece of sacred music. In 1947 he wrote a version for voices accompanied by string orchestra and timpani.