rhaita
The rhaita or ghaita is a double reed instrument from the Maghreb, specifically Morocco, Algeria, Libya, Mauritania, and occasionally Tunisia. It is nearly identical in construction to the Arabic mizmar and the Turkish zurna. The distinctive name owes to a medieval Gothic-Iberian influence.
Also recorded as ghaita · ghayta · gaita
rhaita
Schorle · Cropped Wikimedia Commons image: File:Bachir_Attar_Dub_Gabriel.JPG · CC BY-SA 3.0
- Name
- Rhaita
- Field
- musical instrument · double reed instrument
- Region
- North Africa
VALÉORINE Encyclopedia
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Documentary summary
The rhaita or ghaita is a double reed instrument from the Maghreb, specifically Morocco, Algeria, Libya, Mauritania, and occasionally Tunisia. It is nearly identical in construction to the Arabic mizmar and the Turkish zurna. The distinctive name owes to a medieval Gothic-Iberian influence.
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wikidata · Q7320165
In this article
Overview
Overview
In southern Iberia, various sorts of wind instruments, including the related shawm, are known as gaitas, but in northern Iberia gaita refers only to bagpipes. The rhaita was featured in The Lord of the Rings soundtracks by Howard Shore, specifically in the Mordor theme. American composer John Corigliano calls one of the movements of his 1975 Concerto for Oboe and Orchestra "Rhaita Dance", asking the oboist to imitate a rhaita by pushing the reed further into their mouth. In 1981 while composing the soundtrack to Altered States Corigliano again called for oboists to mimic the rhaita sound during Three Hallucinations.
Key facts
Key facts
• Name — Rhaita • Names — Ghaita • Classification — Double reed • Related — *Dulzaina • Sorna • Rhaita • Suona • Sopila • Zurna • Illustration — Video of ghaita music in a wedding in the city of Salé, Morocco - November 2025
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North Africa
Country
rhaita is associated with North Africa.
Country
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.Dictionnaire des musiques et danses traditionnelles de la Mediterranée, Paris, Fayard, 2005 (articles on gaita and ghayta).
- 2.Pierre Bec, Les instruments de musique d'origine arabe, sens et histoire de leurs désignations, Toulouse, Isatis, Conservatoire Occitan, 2005
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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.
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