Der Heiland ist geboren (“The Savior Is Born”) is a Christmas hymn from Austria, with its earliest known text printed on a broadside in Innsbruck in 1638. The melody most commonly associated with the carol was preserved in a manuscript around 1780, giving the song its recognizable tune. Later, in 1881, Wilhelm Pailler published a six‑verse version, further cementing its place in the Austrian folk tradition.

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This month's tab is an arrangement of a hymn of Thanksgiving for all of life's blessings titled “Thanks to God For My Redeemer”. The original Swedish words were written by August Ludvig Storm in 1891 under the title “Tack, o Gud, för vad som varit”. Storm was an officer in the Swedish Salvation Army at the time, and was inspired to write the poem after a profound experience of personal spiritual renewal. The hymn is a poetic litany of unwavering gratitude, expressing thanks not only for blessings but also for trials, losses, and challenges.

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The month of October is often associated with spooky tales of apparitions and ghosts. In that spirit, this month’s free tab offering is an arrangement of the 19th century English folk ballad “The Unquiet Grave”, also known as “Cold Blows the Wind”. The story related in the ballad is actually much older, and similar accounts can be traced as far back as the 15th century.

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