Monique – Elmo Hope

This delicate 3/4 ballad is one of Elmo Hope's most beautiful compositions. It certainly has Elmo's trademark style, with its constantly unfolding melody, but this song at times also shows an almost classical lyricism that really makes it unique. Check out especially the melody at the beginning and in the B section. This song is more melody-oriented than many other Elmo Hope songs which focus more on the harmony.

Our lead sheets show the key as concert F, which is the key implied from the second half of A through the B section; however, this song begins and ends on B♭maj7 and thus doesn't have a singular key center. The form is quite irregular like many of Elmo's songs: an eight-measure A section is followed by a six-measure B section (with the last measure in 2/4) and a 13-measure C section for a total of 27 measures. The B section rests on an F7sus chord while a bass countermelody—shown in our C treble clef lead sheet—fills in around the melody. This bass line continues through the first two measures of C; this section starts with a modulation toward E major which never gets resolved, instead becoming a rising series of II-V7s. This last section really has the kind of constantly shifting melody and harmony that characterizes many of Elmo's ballads.

In the eighth measure of C, the smaller chord symbols E7sus and E7 are shown above the full size symbol for E7. On the recording, Elmo harmonizes the D 16th note with an A (E7sus) and the following E 8th note with G♯ (E7) on the first chorus, but plays only the E7 the second time.

This recording is two choruses long with no solos. Elmo plays the melody throughout the first time; tenor saxophonist John Gilmore comes in for the second A section melody. Elmo takes over for the B section, freely embellishing the melody; Gilmore plays the C section melody out. This song can certainly be opened up for solos, which would be on the entire form.

This duo version of Monique is the first half of a medley with another 3/4 ballad by Elmo Hope, Three Silver Quarters. It's only one chorus long and goes straight into the other song. In this duo setting without bass and drums, parts of this song sound particularly classical—especially the interplay between the melody and bass line in the B section.