Sandro Ivo Bartoli was highly praised for his Liszt recital in his native Pisa last Saturday. A recent study confirmed that the first solo recital in history was held by Franz Liszt not in London, as previously thought, but in the town of the leaning tower; as a result, the Pisa Council invited Bartoli to give a commemorative recital in the historic San Zeno Church. Bartoli played on a unique Steingraeber E-272, the instrment on which he is helding his winter tour. At the end, a capacity audience tributed him a standing ovation, whilst celebrated conductor Albero Veronesi, President of the Puccini Festival Foundation, said that “Bartoli is one of the world’s greatest Liszt interpreters”. Bartoli’s tour continues with a Bach, Puccini and Liszt recital in Viareggio on January 5th prior to moving to Germany, where he will play in Berlin on January 9th.