The Master Equation of 2D String Theory
  A general method is presented for deriving on-shell Ward-identities in (2D) string theory. It is shown that all tree-level Ward identities can be summarized in a quadratic differential equation for the generating function of tree-amplitudes. This result is extended to loop amplitudes and leads to a master equation {\it \`{a} la} Batalin-Vilkovisky for the complete partition function. 
Erik Verlinde