Operator monotone functions and Lowner functions of several variables

We prove generalizations of Lowner's results on matrix monotone functions to several variables. We give a characterization of when a function of d variables is locally monotone on d-tuples of commuting self-adjoint n-by-n matrices. We prove a generalization to several variables of Nevanlinna's theorem describing analytic functions that map the upper half-plane to itself and satisfy a growth condition. We use this to characterize all rational functions of two variables that are operator monotone.