Dressler, Gallus 10/16/1533 - 01/01/1585

Gallus Dressler (1533-1585) was born in Nebra, Saxony, in modern-day Germany. He received a thorough musical training from a Dutch master. Jacobus Clemens non Papa was probably his teacher. In 1557 he began studying theology in Jena, Thuringia (modern-day Germany) and became Martin Agricola's successor at the Magdeburg Latin School. In 1570 he was awarded the title of magister. He gave up his post in Magdeburg along with his compositional activity and in 1575 became deacon at the St. Nikolai church in Zerbst, Anhalt (modern-day Germany).



134 compositions with mostly sacred, Latin and German texts are still extant. Dressler wrote his own texts to his sacred compositions.