The Magnificat, in Latin also canticum Beat(issim)ae Virginis Mariae (the song of the (most) Blessed Virgin Mary), is a common part of Christian worship, for instance traditionally included in vespers, evensong or matins. As such it is often sung and was set to music by various composers.

In Gregorian chant the Magnificat is sung according to the eight traditional psalm tones:

Composers, or collections of compositions, referring to or using all eight of the traditional Gregorian psalm tone settings of the Magnificat include the Choirbook, D-Ju MS 20 (various composers), the sixteen Magnificats by Palestrina, the Enchiridion utriusque musicae practicae by Georg Rhau, and Johann Pachelbel's Magnificat fugues.

Also the newer psalm tones were used for Magnificat settings:

Apart from the Magnificat sung to the psalm tones, in Gregorian chant there are also the Magnificat antiphons or O Antiphons inspiring composers like Arvo Pärt.

In seventeenth century polyphony no other religious text, apart from the Mass Ordinary, was set more often than the Magnificat. Often only six out of twelve verses of the Magnificat were set in polyphony, performance alternating verses sung in polyphony and verses sung in monody according to the church tone. In such alternatim settings the even verses were chosen more often for setting in polyphony, because they contained the last verse of the doxology, so that the singing of the Magnificat ended with a piece in polyphony.

Examples of such settings include the sixteen Magnificat settings by Cristóbal de Morales: half of these include only the odd verses ("anima mea" settings), the others only the even verses ("Et exultavit" settings) – both series of eight settings by Morales have one setting per traditional church tone.

From around 1600 such Magnificats are also composed for the organ, e.g. Jean Titelouze's 1626 Le Magnificat ou Cantique de la Vierge pour toucher sur l'orgue suivant les huit tons de l'Église (odd versets).