For a while now, I’ve been playing Strayaway Child which has 6 parts. Some friends of mine go one better and play some 7 part jigs and reels. Matt Molloy plays a 7 part version the Mason’s Apron. Does anyone know of any epic piping tunes with more than 7 parts?
You must be a pig for punishment. 
I can only think of the Johnny Cope hornpipe with 7 parts. Even then I get screwed up, as some of the sections are so similar.
djm
Man, I have a hard time playing the first part of the first part of even a
one part tune!!
Dr. O’Neill’s (jig): 5 parts
The Kilfenora Jig: 5 parts
The Frieze Britches (jig): 5 parts
The Gold Ring (jig): 7 parts
The Bucks of Oranmore (reel): 5 parts
The Foxhunters (reel): 5 parts
The Humors of Ballyloughlin (jig): 5 parts
I don’t play these on the pipes, yet, just on flute. They’re handy at céilís!
But in answer to your question: not yet.
I met a fiddler out in Denver who played for me a 12 part version of the Mason’s Apron… the last four parts were in third position and I remember being absolutely blown away by it.
I suppose ‘The Fox hunt’ is the most epic of piping pieces. I’ve got a notated version from Loe Rowsome, fifteen parts! Of course this piece is wildly varied for each player. The only version I have on recording is by Felix Doran.
Also, has anyone else learnt ‘Kid on the Mountain’ from Heather Clarkes book (3 part version) and then played it at a session, and everyone else joins in, with the 5 part version!
Lessee…Lord Gordon’s has 4 or 5 parts,
Glen Road to Carrick, 4 or 5 I think.
That’s all I can think of right now…obviously I’ve been listening to Gay McKeon’s cd.
J.
Try the 4-part version of Kid on the Mountain a la Liam O’Flynn (Planxty). This version is notated in CRE II, 104. It seems nobody at sessions is familiar with this version.
djm
I play Kid on the Mountain as a 5 part slip jig.
Hey! Where did you find a seventh part to Johnny Cope?
Let’s not forget Murphy’s Hornpipe, classic interminable stuff. Once, only once, I want to do a hornpipe set a session with Johnny Cope, the Sweeps, and Murphy’s, three times through each. (I know the Sweeps only has three parts, but I fancy it might clear the palate before Murphy’s, somehow.)
Oops! 6 parts (told you I get confused). There’s a version by Margaret Barry with 5 parts. The 6-part version is from Séamus Ennis. Liam O’Flynn did a cover of this with Planxty.
djm
You may want to work the Derry, Groves and Dwyer’s hrnps into that as well
Margaret Barry (not the banjo player) plays six parts also, but doesn’t repeat parts 2 and 3. In addition to the ones you listed there is a recent one by Mick O’Brien on whistle (with keyboard backup 
).
Ha. Work in Progress is right. It took me three bloody months to learn Johnny Cope…