Magnificat Music was founded by Paul Inwood in 1974. It was based at the St Thomas More Centre for Pastoral Liturgy in London, and became the nucleus around which the St Thomas More Group of composers was formed. From 1974 until 1986 it was one of the leading RC church music imprints in the British Isles, producing many inexpensive workshop editions as well as more formal publications.

In 1986 the imprint ceased producing any new material. Most of its existing publications had been taken on by Oregon Catholic Press, and OCP would also be responsible for publishing new material.

By 1991 it had become clear that there was still a need for Magnificat Music. OCP had not been able to take on as much of the existing publications as originally thought, and were unable to publish all the new music that was being generated; so Paul Inwood resumed publishing operations under the Magnificat Music imprint. Since 1995, Magnificat Music has re-established itself as the leading independent publisher of sheet music for Catholic churches in the British Isles. Its publications are widely used by Anglicans as well as Catholics, and it retails music directly to Catholic churches across the USA and Canada as well as to countries as far apart as Belgium and New Zealand.

The 21st century sees several new departures for the imprint:

In addition to OCP, a substantial number of existing Magnificat publications have been reissued by GIA and World Library Publications (see Links page); and since 1997 Magnificat Music has been selling music direct to Roman Catholic and episcopal parishes in the USA.

In 2004, a revival of interest in the music of the late Fernand Laloux prompted the publication of a quantity of previously unknown choral music by a distinguished former director of music at Farm Street Jesuit Church in London. This is ongoing, with new works appearing from time to time.

Since 2003 a small number of Magnificat Music pieces have been published by Liturgical Press (see Links page) and Magnificat Music established closer links with Liturgical Press as a UK distributor of the music of Psallite (distribution has now passed on to Norwich Books and Music).

With the naming of Paul Inwood as composer of the Vatican's official Hymn for the Holy Year of Mercy, the imprint entered a new phase of providing materials for worship for many diifferent denominations.

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