As a tribute to the upcoming Memorial Day observances, this month’s tab offering is an arrangement of the hymn “O God of Love, O King of Peace”. Written in 1861 by Anglican priest and hymnwriter Sir Henry Williams Baker (1821-1877), “O God of Love, O King of Peace” first appeared in the inaugural edition of “Hymns Ancient and Modern”, the most influential Anglican hymnal of the nineteenth century. Baker, who served as the hymnal’s chief editor, composed this text as a heartfelt prayer for divine mercy and reconciliation in a world torn by conflict.

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In honor of the upcoming Easter celebrations, this month’s tab is an arrangement of the Resurrection hymn “He Lives.” It’s composer, Alfred H. Ackley (1887–1960), brought together two lifelong passions—ministry and music—in a way that shaped everything he wrote. Born in Pennsylvania to a musically gifted family, he studied composition at the Royal Academy of Music in London before returning to the United States to serve as a Presbyterian minister. His career blended preaching, teaching, and hymnwriting, and he eventually composed more than 1,500 hymns. “He Lives” remains his most well-known hymn by far.

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In honor of upcoming St. Patrick’s Day observances, this month’s tab is an arrangement of the well-known Irish air “Irish Lamentation”. Also known in historical sources as Limerick’s Lamentation, it is one of the oldest and most widely traveled airs in the Irish repertoire. Its earliest known publication dates to 1676, where it appeared simply as “An Irish Tune” and was attributed to Myles O’Reilly, an Irish harper and composer active in the late 17th century. A later and more widely circulated version appeared in 1692 under the title King James’ March to Ireland, reflecting the tune’s strong association with the Jacobite wars.

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