The eminent violinist cut his first disc in the USSR aged ten, but now he believes the labels are letting artists down.

I made my first recording at the age of ten with the Russian Melodiya Label – Handel’s Sonata in D, Ernst’s Last Rose of Summer, Bazzini’s La Rondes des Lutins and a few other pieces. The memories are vivid, as if it were yesterday. After two days I walked out of the studio an absolutely different violinist. I learnt so much. I was able to listen to myself and each time I played I tried to do it better and better, both technically and musically. It was as if I was looking into a mirror. When people ask me why recordings are so important, I make a comparison. If someone puts makeup on without a mirror they may still do a good job. However, looking in a mirror helps a lot.

Our greatest instrument is the ear. When I perform there are at least two people playing – the person holding the instrument, and the other who is sitting in the concert hall observing and listening. A recording is the part of the process that helps you...