Franz Liszt's sacred music encompasses a diverse range of genres—from oratorios, masses, and psalms to hymns, motets, and chorales. Secular compositions with religious themes, such as Légendes and Harmonies poétiques et religieuses, are also included. Gregorian chant frequently served as a source of inspiration for him. Although this chant is rarely used in liturgical contexts today, it is still practiced in some parish churches. Daily services were rich in elements such as psalms, hymns, readings, and prayers, which were sung or intoned. Regular services included Matins, hymns, primes, thirds, sexts, ninths, vespers, and Kompletten.
Liszt immersed himself in Gregorian chant and possessed his own collection of religious literature. He likely used this for both personal meditation and communal devotions. In his works, he employed two different notational forms of Gregorian chant. Among other things, he composed for Cardinal von Hohenlohe in Rome and devoted particular attention to manuscript preparation. His compositions can be interpreted as choral or solo pieces, in which a keyboard instrument may have played an important role.
Liszt's music is characterized by simple structures and tonal openness, without complicated harmonic or contrapuntal elements. The pieces are suitable for both spiritual devotions and therapeutic purposes outside of traditional performance settings. The piano functioned merely as a mediating instrument and was not the central focus.
In his compositional work, Liszt reproduced complete Gregorian chants for various church festivals such as Christmas and Holy Week. He harmonized key chant verses and emphasized precise piece numbering for easier identification. His various harmonizations of certain passages demonstrate his striving for perfect musical expression.