Samuel Besler (1574–1625): The Introduction to Life and Art1

Samuel Besler (1574–1625) was born in Brzeg, Lower Silesia. He spent a major part of his life in Wrocław as a cantor at St Bernardine’s Church and then a headmaster of the Holy Spirit school, which belonged to St Bernardine’s parish. The article presents a biography of the composer including the latest discoveries of the author, made in Wrocław University Library and the State Archive in Wrocław. Biographical information is followed by the short description of Besler’s artistic work in which both symptoms of changes in the music of the early 17th century and manifestation of the composer’s fascination with Gregorian chant are present.