The virgins

 The cold white snowie Nunnery, 
(Which, as thy mother, their high Abbesse, sent 
    Their bodies back again to thee, 
As thou hadst lent them, clean and innocent), 
            Though they have not obtain'd of thee, 
            That or thy Church, or I, 
Should keep, as they, our first integrity; 
Divorce thou sin in us, or bid it die, 
And call chaste widowhead1 Virginity.

by John Donne (1572-1631) , "The virgins", from A Litany, no. 12

Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive)

by Andrew Downes (1950-) , "The virgins", op. 11 no. 3 (1976), from Five Holy Songs, no. 3.

Added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.

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Classical Vocal Repertoire