Elias Hanna Al Rahbani (; 26 June 1938 – 4 January 2021) was a Lebanese musician, composer, songwriter, orchestra conductor, and reality television personality, sitting as judge on a number of talent shows. He composed more than 2,500 songs, including 2,000 in Arabic.Acharq Awsat: الياس الرحباني: سحره صوت البيانو فاعتقد أنه من عناصر الطبيعة He wrote the soundtrack for more than 25 films, a number of TV series, and also composed musical scores for the piano. He composed songs for a number of artists, including Sabah and his sister-in-law Fairuz.
Early life
Rahbani was born into a musical family. His older siblings were Assi and Mansour, known as the Rahbani brothers. He studied music at the Lebanese Academy (1945–1958) and did his specialization at the National Music College from 1955 to 1956. His older brothers also arranged private lessons for him for almost ten years, under the supervision of French music professors.
In 1957, at the age of nineteen, Rahbani wanted to continue his musical studies in Moscow but injured his right hand, which meant the end of his dreams of becoming a major piano player. He later trained with his left hand and concentrated on music composition instead.
Career
In 1958, Rahbani had his break, at the age of twenty, when the Arabic Service of the BBC contacted him about composing forty songs and writing the soundtracks to thirteen BBC Arabic radio productions. In 1962, he wrote "Ma Ahlaha" (ما أحلاها) for Lebanese singer Nasri Shamseddine and became a program director and musical consultant for Radio Lebanon, where he also met his future wife, Nina Khalil. The couple married and stayed together for the rest of their lives. Rahbani stayed at Radio Lebanon until 1972 but also continued his career as a record producer with a number of record companies in Lebanon. At the beginning of the Lebanese Civil War in 1976, he moved to Paris.
Rahbani has to his record hundreds of successful Lebanese and pan-Arab music, some in foreign musical adaptations, but mostly in Arabic music. Of his foreign songs, some notable titles include "La Guerre est finie", sung by Lebanese Armenian singer Manuel Menengichian and "Mory", a sea song sung by Lebanese singer Sami Clark.
Rahbani accused Saber Rebaï of plagiarizing his music with the song "Atahadda al 'aalam" (أتحدى العالم). When the songwriter Khaled Bakri and his record company, Rotana Records, denied the charges, Rahbani filed a lawsuit, in which a committee of musicians noted similarities between the Saber Rebai song and Rahbani's musical score "Nina Maria", and ordered Rotana Records to withdraw the album and add credits to Rahbani.
Rahbani has written numerous songs for Fairuz and Sabah. Other Rahbani compositions have been sung by Wadih Safi, Melhem Barakat, Nasri Shamseddine, Majida El Roumi, and contemporary singers including Julia Boutros, Pascale Sakr, and Haifa Wehbe.
In 1996, Rahbani published the poetry collection Nafizat el Omr (A window to my life). In 2001, he composed a song for the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie summit held in Beirut, Lebanon.
Awards
From many of his awards, the Athenes Festival Award for "La guerre est finie", The Youth Award for Classical Music in 1964, an award for a musical score in 1970, Cinema award for International Advertisement Film Award in Venice in 1977, 2nd Award for the London International Advertising Festival in 1995, various awards from Brazil, Greece and Bulgaria, Award for Best Song for "Mory" at the Rostock Festival in Germany. He was also awarded an honorary doctorate from the Barrington University in Washington, and the American University in Asturias, Spain.
Television Rahbani has taken part in a number of televised talent shows in Lebanon and the Arab world, including being a judge on the singing competition SuperStar. He also took part in the launch of Rotana Academy for Teaching of Music in 2004, but left soon afterwards. He was honorary judge for seasons 10 and 11 of Star Academy.
Personal life Elias Rahbani was married to Nina Maria Khalil. They had three children together, including Ghassan. He died on 4 January 2021, at the Rafik Hariri University Hospital, from complications due to COVID-19 during the coronavirus pandemic in Lebanon.Leb24: "جزء جميل من مجد لبنان".. الفنان الكبير إلياس الرحباني في ذمة الله
Family tree
Discography Studio albums Year Title Translation Label Notable Track(s)1972Mosaic of the Orient Vol. 1Voix de l'Orient"I Love You Lina""Let's Dance"1974Mosaic of the Orient Vol. 2"Hey Dabke""My Heart Song (Alby Tayir)"1976Arabic Nursery Rhymes & Songs"Kellon Endon Siyyarat"1977Elias Rahbani & His OrchestraVoix de l'OrientWarnerGélatine"Green Bird"1978With LoveVoix de l'Orient"Liza Liza""Diala"FestivalOscar Plakçılık"El Helwa Di"1982Don't Say Good-ByeRahbania"Don't Say Good-Bye"1998AllegroVirgin"Allegro""Farewell to You"1999Rondo"Nina Maria""Seeds of Love"2002L'amoureux de ParisIn Love with ParisCairo Beirut Audio"Nuits de Paris"2006Morceaux Classiques Pour Piano Composition Et InterprétationClassic Pieces for PianoMass Music"Danse #2 Opus 2"2008Bonjour ColetteHello Colette[Not on Label]"Bonjour Colette"Moi je t'aimeI Love You"Moi je t'aime"
Collaboration albums Year Title Translation Label Notable Track(s)1979Belly Dance Fever(with Ziad Rahbani)Voix de l'Orient"El Helwa Di""Zeina's Dance""Tol'it Ya Mahla Nourha""Love Dance"1981Kenna Sawa(with Samir Hanna)Samir Hanna Sings Elias RahbaniRahbania"Kenna Sawa"1982Wadi Shamsine(with Sabah)Sabah Sings Elias Rahbani"Waadouni Wnatarouni""Ra'esni Hayk"Mech Ader(with Adonis Akl)Adonis Akl Sings Elias Rahbani"Mech Ader"Interprètent Les Succès D'antan(with Victor Hanna)Sing the Oldies"Marinella""Si tu t'en vas"Kezzabi(with Al Amir Al Saghir)Le Petit Prince Sings Elias Rahbani"Kezzabi""Je n'ai pas changé"1996Shu Sar(with Al Amir Al Saghir)HeyVoice of Beirut"Shu Sar"2016Elias Rahbani Presents Ghassan Salem(with Ghassan Salem)Inter Gulf Media"Lamma Shefta"
Soundtracks Year Title Translation Director1969Koullouna Fara'iyounWe Are All Freedom FightersGary GarabedianWada'an Ya LoubnanGoodbye LebanonHoward Avedis1973Dammi, Dumuu'i, IbtisamatiMy Blood, Tears and SmilesHussein Kamal1974HabibatiMy LoveHenri BarakatAgmal Ayam HayatiThe Most Beautiful Years of My Life1978Aazef Al Layl(TV Series)The Musician of the NightAntoine Remy
Songs for Fairuz Year Title Album Label1969"El Oudal Menssiye"Voix de l'Orient1972"La Tejeel Youm"La gardienne des clés – musical1973"Kan Ezzaman (aka Hanna Al Sakran)"Al Mahatta – musical"Ya Tayr Al Werwar"1974"Kan Anna Tahoun"Loulou – musical1975"Kenna Netla'a"Mays El Rim – musical"Ya Lor Hobbak"(with Maurice Akl)
Songs for Sabah Year Title Album Label1964"Hully Dabke Ya Ba Off"Voix de l'Orient"Sola Cha-Cha-Cha""Shefto Bel Anatir"1969"Helweh W Mamshouka"SabahPhilips"Ya Bou El Darawich"1980"Alou 'Anni Majnouneh"Rahbaniyat Vol. 5Voix de l'Orient1982"Wa'adouni Wnatarouni"Wadi ShamsineRahbania1989"Ya Habib El Alb"The Very Best of Sabah from Relax-InRelax-In
Songs for Georgette Sayegh Year Title Album Label1971"Wardat Ain El Roumane"Oriental EveningVoix de l'Orient1973"Ya Ya Ya Nassini"Poème d'amour1974"Arrably W Ally"Mawsam El Tarabish[Not on Label]"Alby Tayir (aka My Heart Song)"Mosaic of the OrientVoix de l'Orient1975"Nattarny Nattarny"Oriental Hit Parade Vol. 3SLD1995"Kel Ma Bettallaa"Dawabni DoubBadawist Phone"Dawabni Doub""Oul Oul""Al Ayam Al Helwa""Yoma Yoma""Byekfy Teazebny""Enta El Hawa""Be'eedak Bi Alby"
Other notable songs Year Artist Title Album Label[Unknown]Taroub"Khodni Ila Mexik"BadrophoneHoda"Bahebbak Add El Bahr"PolydorBernard"Souvenirs"Melodisc1969Manuel"La guerre est finie"SLD1971Sammy Clark"Please"Pan-Vox1973Wadih El Safi"Jinaddar"Voix de l'Orient1977Bob Azzam"Sana Neler Edeceğim"S&S1980Samir Hanna"Wahdi Sahran"Voix de l'OrientMagida El Roumi"Koul Chi Amm Yekhlass"Magida El RoumiMelhem Barakat"Kan El Zaman (aka Hanna Al Sakran)"Rahbaniyat Vol. 7Aida Shalhoub"Fi Bayt Chababikou Homr"Rahbaniyat Vol. 4Mohammed Jamal"Kenna Ana Ou Enti"Ronza"Kaoulak"1981Julia"C'est la vie"C'est la vieRahbaniyaTony Valière"Ose"Ose1988Pascale Sakr"Kasseeda Ya Habibi"Taskili A MinRelax-InJoseph Azar"Ya Rayt Betlakini"Mehtara B'amrakVoix de l'Orient1994Lady Madonna"La Wein Baddeh Sefer"Safrat Al AhlamMusic Master1999Wael Kfoury"Salamat Salamat"Hkayet A'chekMusic Box2009Elissa"Law Feye"Tesada'a BemeenRotana2017Myriam Klink"Ou'a Terjaali"Ou'a Terjaali[Not on Label]
Sources Rahbani Brothers: Elias Rahbani biography
References
External links