"When I was a student, I was convinced that I was the wrong shape to be a violinist. I'm too tall, and too thin. I was supposed to be shorter and broader. Many of the great violinists were that shape. I had a teacher who was just the right shape, and everything seemed to be exactly co-ordinated, whereas my arms and my fingers were too long.

"I played for the Hungarian violinist, Sándor Végh. and he said, 'You're like the Eiffel Tower,' and he turned and laughed, and I felt dreadful. I was very, very thrilled when Gidon Kremer came along. Here was someone who was a bit more like my shape.

"There aren't many players with his kind of phenomenal instrumental gift, who continually, after decades, have been so inventive and probing. Very often, I will mention no names, you can think of players who are amazing when they're young, and 20, 30 years on, it's deadened somewhat.

"They're a bit tired, sometimes their ego has gotten in the way. Kremer just won't take the easy route or do the obvious. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. That's so wonderful to me, to keep that sense of openness and wonder. In that sense we should all just remain 21. He's very inspiring."