The Memory Garden is an enticing programme of English music, old and new, played with incredible sensitivity and intelligence by one of Britain’s finest young guitarists. The album is bookended with the music of John Dowland, beginning with one of Dowland’s preludes and ending with Benjamin Britten’s epic Nocturnal, which is a set of inverse variations on Dowland’s song, Come heavy sleep. Malcolm Arnold’s Fantasy for Guitar gives a wonderful segue into two new pieces by Laura Snowden and Dani Howard, both of which make a superb and compelling contribution to the guitar repertoire. This is Jack Hancher’s debut recording.01. Praeludium, P. 9802. Fantasia in G Major, P. 103. Forlorn Hope Fancy, P. 204. Fantasy for Guitar, Op. 107 I. Prelude05. Fantasy for Guitar, Op. 107 II. Scherzo06. Fantasy for Guitar, Op. 107 III. Arietta I07. Fantasy for Guitar, Op. 107 IV. Fughetta08. Fantasy for Guitar, Op. 107 V. Arietta II09. Fantasy for Guitar, Op. 107 VI. March10. Fantasy for Guitar, Op. 107 VII. Postlude11. The Memory Garden12. You Don’t Have To Tell Me Twice13. Nocturnal after John Dowland, Op. 70 I. Musingly14. Nocturnal after John Dowland, Op. 70 II. Very Agitated15. Nocturnal after John Dowland, Op. 70 III. Restless16. Nocturnal after John Dowland, Op. 70 IV. Uneasy17. Nocturnal after John Dowland, Op. 70 V. March-like18. Nocturnal after John Dowland, Op. 70 VI. Dreaming19. Nocturnal after John Dowland, Op. 70 VII. Gently Rocking20. Nocturnal after John Dowland, Op. 70 VIII. Passacaglia21. Nocturnal after John Dowland, Op. 70 IX. Slow and Quiet13222990066/49.72.150.151