He was born in Lower Silesia. His German name was Sohr or Sore.
From 1524 till his death he lived at Magdeburg, where he occupied the post of teacher or cantor in the Protestant school. The senator and music-printer Rhau, of Wittenberg, 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 (1529), a study of musical instruments, and one of the most important works in early organology.
Agricola was also the first to harmonize in four parts Martin Luther's chorale, Ein' feste Burg .