Chitarra Italiana
The chitarra italiana ('Italian guitar') is a lute-shaped plucked instrument with four or five single (sometimes double) strings, in a tuning similar to that of the guitar. It was common in Italy during the Renaissance era. According to Renato Meucci, the designation 'italiana' followed the introduction to Italy of the flat-backed development of the instrument – referred to in this context as chitarra alla spagnola (literally 'Spanish guitar') – to distinguish between the two versions.
Also recorded as Chitarra guitar
Chitarra Italiana
unknown 16th century author, Possibly be Pietro Paolini (3 June 1603 – 12 April 1681), or Angelo Caroselli (1585–1653) (per https: diff=next oldid · Wikimedia Commons · Public domain
- Name
- Chitarra italiana
- Field
- musical instrument
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Documentary evidence
Documentary basis
Authority files
wikidata · Q3408860 · wikipedia · Chitarra italiana
In this article
Overview
Overview
It is believed to have descended from panduras, the Mediterranean lutes of antiquity, and to be related to the North African kwitra. Its bass variety was known as chitarrone. Musicologist Laurence Wright talked about the chitarrone in a letter to the Early Music journal (October 1976), saying it implied "large guitar", that it had a rounded back and was likely to be taken for a smaller lute, and that it was found from the 13th century to the 18th century, but was much rarer in the later centuries. He also said that in later years, when the mandola was popular, the chitarrone was "sometimes confused with the mandola".
Key facts
Key facts
• Name — Chitarra italiana • Classification — *Necked bowl lutes • String instruments • Related — *Angélique • Archlute • Barbat (lute) • Bağlama • Baglamas • Chitarrone • Dombra • Domra • Dutar • Guitarra morisca • Gittern • Lute • Mandocello • Mandola • Mandolin • Oud • Pandura • Tambouras • Tanbur • Tanbur (Turkish) • Tembûr • Theorbo • Tiorbino
Primary material
Documents and archives
reference work
- “Chitarra italiana”, English Wikipedia, consulted as further reading
Reputable secondary · Wikipedia
authority record
- Wikidata, structured authority record Q3408860: Chitarra Italiana
General reference · Wikidata
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Text attribution
Part of the biographical narrative on this page reuses licensed material. Its origin, revision and licence are recorded here.
The biographical narrative on this page is based on the Wikipedia article Chitarra italiana, revision 1337925492 (EN edition), by its contributors. VALÉORINE has edited that text and built its own documentary record around it. The reused material is available under CC BY-SA 4.0, and this page's reuse of it is offered under the same licence. Everything else on this page — the chronology, the holdings, the evidence, the plates and the connections — is VALÉORINE's own record. Sources and licences.
Notes from the source article
Cited by Wikipedia
Notes from the source article
These works are cited by the source article, in its own numbering. They are recorded as its citations, not as sources VALÉORINE has verified.
- 1.Wright, Laurence. Theorbo, Archlute and Chitarrone. Early Music. 4. 497. 1976. 10.1093/earlyj/4.4.497-d.
References
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References
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The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 16 August 2026.
Elsewhere in Collectables
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