Elias Rahbani facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Elias Rahbani
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Rahbani in 1990
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| Background information | |
| Native name |
إلياس رحباني
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| Birth name | Elias Hanna Al Rahbani |
| Born | 26 June 1938 Antelias, Lebanon, France |
| Died | 4 January 2021 (aged 82) Beirut, Lebanon |
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| Years active | 1962–2021 |
Elias Hanna Al Rahbani (Arabic: إلياس حنا الرحباني; born June 26, 1938 – died January 4, 2021) was a very talented musician from Lebanon. He was a composer, songwriter, and even led orchestras! You might also have seen him as a judge on TV talent shows. Elias Rahbani created an amazing amount of music – over 2,500 songs, with 2,000 of them in Arabic. He also wrote music for more than 25 movies and many TV shows. He even composed music for the piano. Many famous singers, like Fairuz and Sabah, sang songs he wrote.
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Early Life and Music
Elias Rahbani grew up in a family full of music. His older brothers, Assi and Mansour, were famous musicians known as the Rahbani brothers. Elias studied music at the Lebanese Academy from 1945 to 1958. He also went to the National Music College from 1955 to 1956 to learn even more. His older brothers also arranged special lessons for him with French music teachers for almost ten years.
In 1957, when Elias was 19, he dreamed of studying music in Moscow. But he hurt his right hand, which meant he couldn't become a major piano player. Instead, he learned to play with his left hand and focused on writing music.
A Busy Career
Elias Rahbani got his big break in 1958, at age 20. The Arabic Service of the BBC asked him to write 40 songs and music for 13 of their radio shows. In 1962, he wrote a song called "Ma Ahlaha" for the Lebanese singer Nasri Shamseddine. That same year, he became a program director and music expert for Radio Lebanon. There, he met his future wife, Nina Khalil. They got married and stayed together for their whole lives. Elias worked at Radio Lebanon until 1972, but he also kept producing music for different record companies in Lebanon. When the Lebanese Civil War started in 1976, he moved to Paris.
Rahbani created hundreds of popular songs in Lebanon and across the Arab world. Some of his songs were even adapted into foreign music styles. He also wrote some famous foreign songs, like "La Guerre est finie" and "Mory," a sea song.
Once, Elias Rahbani had a disagreement with singer Saber Rebaï about a song called "Atahadda al 'aalam." Rahbani believed it sounded very similar to his own music, "Nina Maria." After a lawsuit, a group of musicians agreed there were similarities. The record company was told to give Rahbani credit for his music.
Elias Rahbani wrote many songs for famous singers like Fairuz and Sabah. Other singers who performed his compositions include Wadih Safi, Melhem Barakat, Nasri Shamseddine, Majida El Roumi, Julia Boutros, Pascale Sakr, and Haifa Wehbe.
In 1996, Rahbani published a book of poems called Nafizat el Omr (A window to my life). In 2001, he wrote a song for a big meeting of French-speaking countries held in Beirut, Lebanon.
Awards and Recognition
Elias Rahbani received many awards for his work. Some of them include:
- The Athenes Festival Award for his song "La guerre est finie."
- The Youth Award for Classical Music in 1964.
- An award for a musical score in 1970.
- A Cinema award for an International Advertisement Film in Venice in 1977.
- The 2nd Award for the London International Advertising Festival in 1995.
- Various awards from Brazil, Greece, and Bulgaria.
- The Award for Best Song for "Mory" at the Rostock Festival in Germany.
He also received honorary doctorates from Barrington University in Washington and the American University in Asturias, Spain.
On Television
Elias Rahbani was also known for his appearances on TV. He was a judge on popular singing shows like SuperStar. In 2004, he helped launch the Rotana Academy for Teaching of Music, though he left soon after. He was also an 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, who also became a musician. Elias Rahbani passed away on January 4, 2021, in Beirut, Lebanon. He died from problems related to COVID-19 during the coronavirus pandemic in Lebanon.
See also
In Spanish: Elias Rahbani para niños
