The kwitra (also '' quwaytara'', ''kouitra'' and ''quitra''); Arabic الكوترة or عود أندلسي (literally Andalusian oud); is an Algerian stringed instrument, sometimes referred to as the Algerian lute. The instrument is tied to Andalusian musical traditions of Moorish people who were pushed out of the Iberian peninsula in the 15th century. That tradition has shrunk further; where the kwitra was once seen in Algeria, today it is mainly an Algerian instrument. The literal meaning of kwitra in Algerian Arabic (and possibly in the extinct Andalusian Arabic) is "small guitar". It is a regional instrument in the

lute A lute ( or ) is any plucked string instrument with a neck and a deep round back enclosing a hollow cavity, usually with a sound hole or opening in the body. It may be either fretted or unfretted. More specifically, the term "lute" can ref ...

family of instruments, related to Italian chitarra. It has eight strings in four courses. It is tuned G3 G3, E4 E4, A3 A3, D4 D4. The traditional strings are made of animal intestines. They usually have a carved soundhole in the shape of a bowl or vase. File:Kwitra 01.jpg, Kwitra

Historically prominent musicians

*Sfinja *Mouzino *Ben Teffahi *Ahmed Essabti *Mohammed Bahar (recordings exist) *Philippe Lourenço *Faten Sioud *Ahmed Echaytan

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Video. Mohammed Bahar playing the kwitraModern recording, kwitra being played in style of Mohamed Bahar.

The stringed Instrument Database

String instruments Algerian musical instruments

Historically prominent musicians

See also

References

External links