Martin Agricola was born in Schwiebus in Lebusz. From 1524 until his death he lived at Magdenburg, where he occupied the post of teacher or cantor in the protestant school. The senator and music-printer Georg Rhau, of Wittenburg, was a close friend of Agricola, whose theoretical works, providing valuable material concerning the change from the old to the new system of notation, he published.
Among Agricola’s other theoretical works is Musica instrumentalis deudsch (1528 and 1545), a study of musicial instruments, and one of the most important works in early organology; and one of the earliest books on the Rudiments of music.
Agricola was also the first to harmonize in four parts Martin Luther’s chorale Ein feste Burg.