# Elias Rahbani

Elias Hanna Al Rahbani (Arabic: إلياس حنا الرحباني; 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. 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 Fairuz and Sabah.

## 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.

## Discography
### Studio albums

| Year | Title | Translation | Label | Notable Track(s) |
| 1972 | Mosaic of the Orient Vol. 1 | | Voix de l'Orient | "I Love You Lina" "Let's Dance" |
| 1974 | Mosaic of the Orient Vol. 2 | | Voix de l'Orient | "Hey Dabke" "My Heart Song (Alby Tayir)" |
| 1976 | Arabic Nursery Rhymes & Songs | | Voix de l'Orient | "Kellon Endon Siyyarat" |
| 1977 | Elias Rahbani & His Orchestra | | Voix de l'Orient Warner Gélatine | "Green Bird" |
| 1978 | With Love | | Voix de l'Orient | "Liza Liza" "Diala" |
| 1978 | Festival | | Oscar Plakçılık | "El Helwa Di" |
| 1982 | Don't Say Good-Bye | | Rahbania | "Don't Say Good-Bye" |
| 1998 | Allegro | | Virgin | "Allegro" "Farewell to You" |
| 1999 | Rondo | | Virgin | "Nina Maria" "Seeds of Love" |
| 2002 | L'amoureux de Paris | In Love with Paris | Cairo Beirut Audio | "Nuits de Paris" |
| 2006 | Morceaux Classiques Pour Piano Composition Et Interprétation | Classic Pieces for Piano | Mass Music | "Danse #2 Opus 2" |
| 2008 | Bonjour Colette | Hello Colette | [Not on Label] | "Bonjour Colette" |
| 2008 | Moi je t'aime | I Love You | [Not on Label] | "Moi je t'aime" |

### Collaboration albums

| Year | Title | Translation | Label | Notable Track(s) |
| 1979 | Belly Dance Fever (with Ziad Rahbani) | | Voix de l'Orient | "El Helwa Di" "Zeina's Dance" "Tol'it Ya Mahla Nourha" "Love Dance" |
| 1981 | Kenna Sawa (with Samir Hanna) | Samir Hanna Sings Elias Rahbani | Rahbania | "Kenna Sawa" |
| 1982 | Wadi Shamsine (with Sabah) | Sabah Sings Elias Rahbani | Rahbania | "Waadouni Wnatarouni" "Ra'esni Hayk" |
| 1982 | Mech Ader (with Adonis Akl) | Adonis Akl Sings Elias Rahbani | Rahbania | "Mech Ader" |
| 1982 | Interprètent Les Succès D'antan (with Victor Hanna) | Sing the Oldies | Rahbania | "Marinella" "Si tu t'en vas" |
| 1982 | Kezzabi (with Al Amir Al Saghir) | Le Petit Prince Sings Elias Rahbani | Rahbania | "Kezzabi" "Je n'ai pas changé" |
| 1996 | Shu Sar (with Al Amir Al Saghir) | Hey | Voice of Beirut | "Shu Sar" |
| 2016 | Elias Rahbani Presents Ghassan Salem (with Ghassan Salem) | | Inter Gulf Media | "Lamma Shefta" |

### Soundtracks

| Year | Title | Translation | Director |
| 1969 | Koullouna Fara'iyoun | We Are All Freedom Fighters | Gary Garabedian |
| 1969 | Wada'an Ya Loubnan | Goodbye Lebanon | Howard Avedis |
| 1973 | Dammi, Dumuu'i, Ibtisamati | My Blood, Tears and Smiles | Hussein Kamal |
| 1974 | Habibati | My Love | Henri Barakat |
| 1974 | Agmal Ayam Hayati | The Most Beautiful Years of My Life | Henri Barakat |
| 1978 | Aazef Al Layl (TV Series) | The Musician of the Night | Antoine Remy |

### Songs for Fairuz

| Year | Title | Album | Label |
| 1969 | "El Oudal Menssiye" | | Voix de l'Orient |
| 1972 | "La Tejeel Youm" | La gardienne des clés – musical | Voix de l'Orient |
| 1973 | "Kan Ezzaman (aka Hanna Al Sakran)" | Al Mahatta – musical | Voix de l'Orient |
| 1973 | "Ya Tayr Al Werwar" | | Voix de l'Orient |
| 1974 | "Kan Anna Tahoun" | Loulou – musical | Voix de l'Orient |
| 1975 | "Kenna Netla'a" | Mays El Rim – musical | Voix de l'Orient |
| 1975 | "Ya Lor Hobbak" (with Maurice Akl) | Mays El Rim – musical | Voix de l'Orient |

### Songs for Sabah

| Year | Title | Album | Label |
| 1964 | "Hully Dabke Ya Ba Off" | | Voix de l'Orient |
| 1964 | "Sola Cha-Cha-Cha" | | Voix de l'Orient |
| 1964 | "Shefto Bel Anatir" | | Voix de l'Orient |
| 1969 | "Helweh W Mamshouka" | Sabah | Philips |
| 1969 | "Ya Bou El Darawich" | Sabah | Philips |
| 1980 | "Alou 'Anni Majnouneh" | Rahbaniyat Vol. 5 | Voix de l'Orient |
| 1982 | "Wa'adouni Wnatarouni" | Wadi Shamsine | Rahbania |
| 1989 | "Ya Habib El Alb" | The Very Best of Sabah from Relax-In | Relax-In |

### Songs for Georgette Sayegh

| Year | Title | Album | Label |
| 1971 | "Wardat Ain El Roumane" | Oriental Evening | Voix de l'Orient |
| 1973 | "Ya Ya Ya Nassini" | Poème d'amour | Voix de l'Orient |
| 1974 | "Arrably W Ally" | Mawsam El Tarabish | [Not on Label] |
| 1974 | "Alby Tayir (aka My Heart Song)" | Mosaic of the Orient | Voix de l'Orient |
| 1975 | "Nattarny Nattarny" | Oriental Hit Parade Vol. 3 | SLD |
| 1995 | "Kel Ma Bettallaa" | Dawabni Doub | Badawist Phone |
| 1995 | "Dawabni Doub" | Dawabni Doub | Badawist Phone |
| 1995 | "Oul Oul" | Dawabni Doub | Badawist Phone |
| 1995 | "Al Ayam Al Helwa" | Dawabni Doub | Badawist Phone |
| 1995 | "Yoma Yoma" | Dawabni Doub | Badawist Phone |
| 1995 | "Byekfy Teazebny" | Dawabni Doub | Badawist Phone |
| 1995 | "Enta El Hawa" | Dawabni Doub | Badawist Phone |
| 1995 | "Be'eedak Bi Alby" | Dawabni Doub | Badawist Phone |

### Other notable songs

| Year | Artist | Title | Album | Label |
| [Unknown] | Taroub | "Khodni Ila Mexik" | | Badrophone |
| [Unknown] | Hoda | "Bahebbak Add El Bahr" | | Polydor |
| [Unknown] | Bernard | "Souvenirs" | | Melodisc |
| 1969 | Manuel | "La guerre est finie" | | SLD |
| 1971 | Sammy Clark | "Please" | | Pan-Vox |
| 1973 | Wadih El Safi | "Jinaddar" | | Voix de l'Orient |
| 1977 | Bob Azzam | "Sana Neler Edeceğim" | | S&S |
| 1980 | Samir Hanna | "Wahdi Sahran" | | Voix de l'Orient |
| 1980 | Magida El Roumi | "Koul Chi Amm Yekhlass" | Magida El Roumi | Voix de l'Orient |
| 1980 | Melhem Barakat | "Kan El Zaman (aka Hanna Al Sakran)" | Rahbaniyat Vol. 7 | Voix de l'Orient |
| 1980 | Aida Shalhoub | "Fi Bayt Chababikou Homr" | Rahbaniyat Vol. 4 | Voix de l'Orient |
| 1980 | Mohammed Jamal | "Kenna Ana Ou Enti" | Rahbaniyat Vol. 4 | Voix de l'Orient |
| 1980 | Ronza | "Kaoulak" | Rahbaniyat Vol. 4 | Voix de l'Orient |
| 1981 | Julia | "C'est la vie" | C'est la vie | Rahbaniya |
| 1981 | Tony Valière | "Ose" | Ose | Rahbaniya |
| 1988 | Pascale Sakr | "Kasseeda Ya Habibi" | Taskili A Min | Relax-In |
| 1988 | Joseph Azar | "Ya Rayt Betlakini" | Mehtara B'amrak | Voix de l'Orient |
| 1994 | Lady Madonna | "La Wein Baddeh Sefer" | Safrat Al Ahlam | Music Master |
| 1999 | Wael Kfoury | "Salamat Salamat" | Hkayet A'chek | Music Box |
| 2009 | Elissa | "Law Feye" | Tesada'a Bemeen | Rotana |
| 2017 | Myriam Klink | "Ou'a Terjaali" | Ou'a Terjaali | [Not on Label] |

## Sources

* Rahbani Brothers: Elias Rahbani biography