Klavierwerke (Sonate B-dur / Sonate A-dur / Fantasia Fis-moll / Album - Sonate As-dur / Albumblätter (C-dur / F-moll / Es-dur))

Released by the East German state-owned label ETERNA in 1983, this double-LP compilation showcases the rare piano compositions of Richard Wagner, performed by the Australian-born pianist Bruce Hungerford. While Wagner is primarily celebrated for his monumental operas, these works reflect his early academic exercises and intimate character pieces, offering a glimpse into his stylistic development before he turned his focus almost exclusively to the orchestral stage. The release is notable for Hungerford's dedication to the nuanced, often overlooked keyboard repertoire of the 19th century.

Bruce Hungerford was a pianist noted for his technical precision and scholarly approach to the Germanic repertoire. His collaboration with ETERNA, a label highly regarded for its high-fidelity classical recordings from the Eastern Bloc, provides a definitive document of these minor works. The collection was curated to offer a complete overview of Wagner’s surviving piano output, ranging from the structured sonatas to the ephemeral album leaves, and was received by critics as a necessary historical document that humanized the composer's broader aesthetic legacy.