Sunday Baroque Conversations

The first use of the term viol d'amore is believed to be in John Evelyn's diary of 1679. He described it by saying of it, "I never heard a sweeter Instrument or more surprising..." Frequently heard in baroque music, viola d'amore resembles a violin, but it has extra resonating strings - sympathetic strings - which give it a rich, sonorous and unusual tone. It's also very hard to play, which explains why the specialized instrument isn't more commonly heard. Suzanne Bona spoke with one of the world's viola d'amore experts, Myron Rosenblum, about the instrument, its history, and why he's such a passionate and enthusiastic advocate.