Johnny Cope hornpipe

There are 15 recordings of this tune.

Johnny Cope has been added to 7 tune sets.

Johnny Cope has been added to 133 tunebooks.

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Seven settings

1
X: 1
T: Johnny Cope
R: hornpipe
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Ador
|:A2 AB A2d2|efed B3A|GFGA BAGB|dBGB d3B|
A2 AB A2d2|efed B2d2|(3efg fa gedB|1 BAAB AGEG:|2 BAGB A3B||
cBcd c2G2|cdef gedB|cBAc (3eee ed|cdec dBGB|
cBcd c2G2|cdef gede|ea (3aaa (3efg ed|BAGB A3B:|
(3ccc cB ABAG|ABcd (3efg dc|BG (3GGG dG (3GGG|cdec dBGB|
c2 cB ABAG|ABcd (3efg ed|ea (3aaa (3efg ed|1 BAGB A3B:|2 BAGB A2 Bd||
e2a2 a2 ga|b2a2g2 ed|eg (3ggg gaba|gabg aged|
e2a2a2 ga|b2a2 g3 e|(3ddd ef gedB|BAGB A2 Bd:|
e2 (3eee fedB|e2 (3eee fedB|d2 de dBAB|defd edBd|
e2 (3eee fedB|ea (3aaa efed|Bdef gedB|1 BAAB A2 Bd:|2 BAAB A2 fg||
a2e2 efge|a2e2e2 ag|f2d2 d2 de|f2d2 d4|
a2e2 efge|a2e2e2 ed|Bdef gedB|1 BAGB A4:|2 BAGB AGEG||
2
X: 2
T: Johnny Cope
R: hornpipe
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Fmaj
|:G4G3/2A/ B/c3/2|d2G2A3/2G/ F/D3/2|
|:B3c B2B,2|B3/2c/ d/e3/2 f4|A2G3/2F/ F2G3/2c/|
|:G2D2G3/2A/ =B/c3/2|d3/2c/ B/A3/2 c3/2B/ A/G3/2|
|:g4g2f/g3/2|a2g2a3/2g/ f/d3/2|f4f2f3/2g/|a2f2f/a3/2|
g4g2f/g3/2|a2f2g2d2|f2c2d3/2c/ B/A3/2|G4G,4:|
|:G3/2^F/ G/A3/2 G3/2A/ B/c3/2|d3/2_e/ d/c3/2 B3/2A/ B/G3/2|
|:d3/2B/ G/B3/2 d3/2B/ G/B3/2|G3/2B/ d/g3/2 b3/2g/ d/B3/2|
# Added by fiel .
3
X: 3
T: Johnny Cope
R: hornpipe
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Ador
(3EFG|A2A>B A2 (3Bcd|e>ge>d c2 A>G|D>GG>F G>AB>G|D>GB>G A>GE>D|
E2A2A2 (3Bcd|e2 a2 B>A G2|(3efg f>a g>ed>B|B>AA>G A2:|
|:A>B|c2 cd c2 G2|(3Bcd e>f g>ed>B|c>BA>B e2 d>B|c>de>c d>BG>B|
c2 c>d c2 G2|(3Bcd e>f g>ed>f|e>aa>f e>gd>B|B>AA>G A2:|
|:A>B|c2 c>B A2 G2|(3Bcd e>f g>ed>f|B>G (3GFG D>G (3GFG|B>de>B d>BG>B|
c2 c>B A2 G2|(3Bcd e>f g>ed>f|e>aa>g e>gd>B|B>AA>G A2:|
|:(3Bcd|e>aa>g a2 g>a|b2 b>a g2 g>e|d>eg>f g>ab>g|d>g (3bag a>ge>d|
e>aa>g a2 g>a|b2 b>a g2 g>e|d2 e2 g>ed>B|B>AA>G A2:|
|:(3Bcd|e4 f>ed>B|e2 f>e f>ed>B|d2d>e d>BA>B|d2 f>d a>df>d|
e4 f>ed>B|d2 f>e f>ed>B|A>Bd>f e>fd>B|B2A2A2:|
|:(3efg|a2 e2 e>fg>e|a2 e2e2 a>g|f2 d2 d>^cd>e|f>dd>^c d2 (3efg|
a2 e2 f>e d2|e>ff>e f>ed>B|A>Bd>f e>fd>B|B2 A2 A2:|
4
X: 4
T: Johnny Cope
R: hornpipe
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Amin
E2|A4 ABcd|e2A2 A2GE|G4 GABc|d3G BAGE|
A4 ABcd|e2A2 BAGE|G2g2 edcB|A4 A2:|
|:AB|c3d c2G2|cde^f g4|B2G2 d2G2|Bcde d2cB|
cBcd e^fga|gedc B2AB|G2g2 edcB|A4 A2:|
|:eg|a4 a2ga|b2a2 a2ge|dega g3a|b2ab g2eg|
a4 a2 ga|b2a4 ge|g2d2 edcB|A4 A2:|
|:E2|AGAB cBcd|e2A2 BAGE|GEGA B2ge|dedc B2AG|
cBcd e^fga|gedc B2AB|G2g2 edcB|A4 A2:|
5
X: 5
T: Johnny Cope
R: hornpipe
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Ador
A2 A>B A2 B>d|e>fe>d B2 A>G|E>GG>F ~G3 A|B>AG>B d>BG>A|
B>AA>B A2 B>d|e>fe>d B2 d2|e/f/g f>a g>ed>B|1 B>AA>B A>GE>G:|2 B>AA>B A3 B||
|:c>Bc>d c2 G2|c>de>f g>ed>B|c>BA>c e3 d|c>de>c d>BG>B|
c>Bc>d c2 G2|c>de>f g>ed>g|e>aa>g e/f/g e>d|B>AA>B A3 B:|
|:c>Bc>B A>BA>G|A>Bc>d e/f/g d>c|B>G ~G2 d>G ~G2|c>de>c d>BG>B|
c>Bc>B A>BA>G|A>Bc>d e/f/g d>g|e>aa>g e/f/g e>d|1 B>AA>B A3 B:|2 B>AA>B A2 B>d||
|:e2 a2 a2 g>a|b2 a2 g2 e>d|e>fg>f g>ab>a|g>ab>g a>ge>d|
e2 a2 a2 g>a|b2 a2 g2 g>e|d2 e>f g>ed>B|B>AA>B A2 B>d:|
|:e4 f>e e>d|e4 f>e d>B|d4 d>BA>B|d>d f>d e>dB>d|e4 f>e e>d|
e>aa>e f>ed>B|1 A>Bd>f e>dd>B|B>AA>B A2 B>d:|2 A>Bd>f e>fd>B|B>AA>B A3 e||
a2 e2 e>fg>e|a2 e2 e>fa>g|Tf2 d2 d>^cd>e|Tf2 d2 d3 e|
a2 e2 e>fg>e|a2 e2 e>fd>B|A>Bd>f e>dd>B|B>AA>B A3 e||
a2 e2 f/f/e g>e|a2 e2 e2 a>g|Tf2 d2 d>^cd>e|Tf2 d2 d3 e|
a2 e2 e>fg>e|a2 e2 e>fd>B|A>Bd>f e>fd>B|B>AA>B A4||
|:e4 f/f/e e>d|e4 f/f/e d>B|d4 d>BA>B|d/d/d f>d e>dB>d|e4 f/f/e e>d|
e>aa>e f/f/e d>B|1 A>Bd>f e>dd>B|B>AA>B A2 B>d:|2 A>Bd>f e>fd>B|B>AA>B A3 e||
6
X: 6
T: Johnny Cope
R: hornpipe
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Ador
DEG|:A2 AG A2 Bd|eged B2 AG|EGGF G3 A|BAGE dBed|
BAAG A2 (3Bcd|ez ed B2 d2|(3efg fa gedB|1 BAAG AGEG:|2 BAAG A2 z2]|.
|:c3d c2G2|cdeg gedB|cBAc deed|cded dBGB|
cBcdc2G2|(3Bcd eg gedg|e2 ag (3efg dB|1 BAAG A2 AB:|2 BAAG A2z2]|
|:c3B ABAG|ABcd e2 dc|BG ~G2 dz G2|(3Bcd ed dBGB|
cdcB ~A3G|ABcd e2 dg|e2 ag (3efg dB|1 BAAG A3B:|2 BAAG A2(3Bcd]|
|:e2za a2 ga|bgaf g2 ed|eggf gaba|~g3 b aged|
e2 ag a2 ga|bgaf g2 ed|e2 fa gedB|1 BAAG A2 (3Bcd:|2 BAAG A2 ag]|
|:e3 g feed|e3 g fedB|d3 e dBAB|d z fa ed (3Bcd|
e2 e2 feed|e3 g fedB|Adfd efeB|1 BAAG A2 (3Bcd:|2 BAAG A2 (3efg]|
|:a2 ed efge|a2 ed eaag|f3 e d^cde|faed BABd|
a z ed efge|a2 ed e2 dB|Adfd (3efe dB|1 BAAG A2 (3efg:|2 BAAG AGEG]|
7
X: 7
T: Johnny Cope
R: hornpipe
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Ador
dB|:A2AB A2Bd|eged BGAG|EGGd GdGA|BAGB dBGA|
BAAB A2Bd|eged BABd|egfa gedB|1 BAAG AGEG:|2 BAAG A2AB||
|:cGcd c2AG|cdea gedB|c2 (3ABc eced|cdec dBGB|
cGcd c2AG|cdea ged2|ebag (3efg ed|BAAB A2AB:|
|:cGcB AeAG|ABcd egdc|BG~G2 dG~G2|cdec dBGB|
cGcB AeAG|ABcd (3efg dg|ebag (3efg ed|1 BAAB A2AB:|2 BAAB A2Bd||
|:eaag a2ga|bgae gbag|eggd gdba|~g2 (3bag aged|
e2ag a2ga|bgae g2ed|(3efg fa gedB|1 BAAG A2Bd:|2 BAAG A2ag||
|:e2eg (3afe dB|edeg (3afe dB|~d3e dBAB|~d2fd ed Bd|
e2eg (3afe dB|edeg (3afe dB|Adfd efdB|1 BAAG A2ag:|2 BAAG A2 (3efg||
|:a2ed efge|a2ed egag|f2dB ~d3e|f2dB defg|
a2ed efge|aeed (3e=fe dB|Adfd efdB|1 BAAB A2 (3efg:|2 BAAG AGEG||
# Added by zmoon .

Twenty-eight comments

Johnny Cope

Source: Planxty “Cold Blow And The Rainy Night”
I’ll quote from the sleevenotes.

“Johnny Cope” combines the well known song and hornpipe of the same name.How it arrived in Kerry-where it was learned from the great fiddler Padric O’Keefe will never be known but in its travels from Scotland it picked up four more parts and was collected by Seamus Ennis as a six part hornpipe."

Great tune. I know it from the Noel Hill and Tony Linnane album, on which Noel Hill uses a solo break to play this tune. You say you transcribed this from “Cold Blow and the Rainy Night;” did Noel Hill play on this album? I know he played on one or two of them. I was wondering if he also played it with Planxty.

Posted by .

No, he’s not on the album.It was released in 1974 and the band was Liam O‘Flynn,Andy Irvine,Christy Moore and Johnny Moynihan.They sing the song first and then Liam O’Flynn plays it solo.

Johnny Cope

I have submitted another version of Johnny Cope as an addition to the previous version
thesession.org/tunes/2327/comments
My contribution is more closely linked to that version than the one here.

Posted by .

Johnny Cope

Mick O‘Brien also has a beautiful setting of this on his album ’May Morning Dew’ (However, the track links to the Polka).

Tim

“May Morning Dew” ~ Mick O’ Brien

Submitted on May 6th 2005 by low b flat.
https://thesession.org/recordings/1536

~ to add the link… This isn’t the only case where a link is not made to the relative tune or recording. Fortunately some folks like yourself Tim make the link here in the comments, and in this case I’ve just appended the address…

As heard on Natalie McMasters: “My Roots Are Showing”

X:1
T:Johnny Cope
L:1/8
K:F
|:G4G3/2A/2 B/2c3/2|d2G2A3/2G/2 F/2D3/2|
F4F3/2G/2 A/2B3/2|c2F2A3/2G/2 F/2D3/2|
G4G3/2A/2 B/2c3/2|d2G2B3/2A/2 G/2A3/2|
[1F2f3/2e/2 d/2c3/2 B3/2A/2|G4G,4:|
[2F2f3/2e/2 d/2c3/2 B3/2A/2|G4D2G3/2A/2
|:B3c B2B,2|B3/2c/2 d/2e3/2 f4|A2G3/2F/2 F2G3/2c/2|
A3/2B/2 c/2B3/2 A2F2|G2A3/2B/2 A2B3/2c/2|
B2c3/2d/2 A2G3/2F/2|D2f3/2e/2 d/2c3/2 B3/2A/2|
[1G4G2G3/2A/2:|[2G4G3/2c/2 =B/2A3/2
|:G2D2G3/2A/2 =B/2c3/2|d3/2c/2 B/2A3/2 c3/2B/2 A/2G3/2|
F4F3/2G/2 A/2B3/2|c3/2A/2 f/2c3/2 B3/2A/2 G/2F3/2|
G2F3/2E/2 D/2C3/2 =B,3/2A,/2|G,/2A,3/2 B,3/2C/2 D2C3/2=B,/2|
C2D/2G3/2 D3/2C/2 B,/2A,3/2|[1G,4G3/2c/2 =B/2A3/2:|
C2D/2G3/2 D3/2C/2 B,/2A,3/2[2|G,8|
|:g4g2f/2g3/2|a2g2a3/2g/2 f/2d3/2|f4f2f3/2g/2|a2f2f/2a3/2|
g4g2f/2g3/2|a2f2g2d2|f2c2d3/2c/2 B/2A3/2|G4G,4:|
|:G3/2^F/2 G/2A3/2 G3/2A/2 B/2c3/2|d3/2_e/2 d/2c3/2 B3/2A/2 B/2G3/2|
A/2F3/2 c/2F3/2 d/2F3/2 c/2F3/2|A3/2c/2 f/2c3/2 B3/2A/2 G/2F3/2|
B3/2c/2 B/2A3/2 G3/2^F/2 G/2D3/2|G3/2A/2 B/2c3/2 d3/2c/2 d/2B3/2|
c3/2d/2 f/2g3/2 f3/2d/2 c/2A3/2|G4G,4:|
|:d3/2B/2 G/2B3/2 d3/2B/2 G/2B3/2|G3/2B/2 d/2g3/2 b3/2g/2 d/2B3/2|
c3/2A/2 F/2A3/2 c3/2A/2 F/2A3/2|F3/2A/2 c/2f3/2 a3/2f/2 c/2A3/2|
d3/2B/2 d/2f3/2 c3/2A/2 c/2f3/2|B3/2G/2 B/2d3/2 A3/2F/2 A/2c3/2|
(3dcB (3cBA (3BAG (3AG^F|G4G,4:|

Posted by .

I think Noel Hill played it in G minor, a lovely key for it.

Re: Johnny Cope

Further to Chad’s posting . . .

Would this be the same Margaret Barry (Mairead de Barra) of Abbeyfeale, Co. Limerick, the younger sister of Donal de Barra who was one of the leading figures in Comhaltas Ceoltoiri Eireann? She played whistle and flute (prize winner in the Listowel Fleadh in about 1978 or -79 with a wonderful rendition of ‘Colonel Frazer’) and moved to Dublin to study.

Posted by .

Re: Johnny Cope

I ended up learning 5 parts of this tune today without consulting any recording, just from having them in my head somewhere, without even meaning to. Granted I had the 5th and 6th parts switched the first time through, but not bad. The only one I didn’t know was the 4th part, which I went ahead and learned because… might as well. Fantastic tune.

Johnny Cope, X:3

This always sounds to me like it started out in life as a march, definitely a pipe tune. Taken from ‘A Fine Selection of Over 200 Irish Traditional Tunes for Sessions’, compiled by David Speers with a Forward by Matt Cranitch.

Re: Johnny Cope

There are words about the English general John Cope, very derisive, after he was defeated in battle with the Scots.
Sylvia Miskoe

Re: Johnny Cope

Ooh, nice find - I’ll have to update the article: https://rushymountain.com/2017/10/06/johnny-cope/
It looks like it’s identical to Aird’s / O’Farrell’s, but with F#s throughout.

In any case, I do think this four part tune should have it’s own tune page, separate from the six part one that starts this page. They’re definitely related, but I think distinct enough to be considered different tunes.

Posted by .

Johnny Cope, X:5

This is my transcription of the late Liam O’Flynn’s performance on Planxty’s “Cold Blow and the Rainy Night” album from 1974. I couldn’t find a melodically accurate transcription of his version anywhere online, so did my own. I haven’t tried to notate piping ornaments in general, so the E music transcription is slightly simplified from what he actually plays, but I have appended an extra E* section at the end for information/alternatives.

On the album Liam O’Flynn plays the tune on a “flat set” of pipes in C, so to play this notation along to the recording (e.g. https://youtu.be/4jjsK0-TfOk), use a C whistle!


I have a downloadable Word.doc of my notation and several other settings and background info/links which may be acquired here: https://app.box.com/s/wws1uc9tjqeteiyohrdl3et48adu4aig

There’s an interesting, thorough background survey to the Irish sources and settings of this tune here: https://rushymountain.com/2017/10/06/johnny-cope, which supplements the Tunearch ones nicely. (https://tunearch.org/wiki/Annotation:Johnny_Cope_(1) & https://tunearch.org/wiki/Annotation:Johnny_Cope_(2))

My full ABC notation:
X:5
T:Johnny Cope
C:Traditional
O:Kerry, Ireland; after Scottish originals
S:Liam O‘Flynn, after Padraig O’Keeffe
D:Planxty: Cold Blow and the Rainy Night (Polydor, 1974)
N:On the album Liam O’Flynn plays the tune on a “flat set” of pipes in C, so to play this notation to the recording, use a C whistle
Z:Jem Hammond 4:3:2021
R:Hornpipe
M:4/4
L:1/8
K:Ador
P:A
A2 A>B A2 B>d|e>fe>d B2 A>G|E>GG>F ~G3 A|B>AG>B d>BG>A|B>AA>B A2 B>d|
e>fe>d B2 d2|e/f/g f>a g>ed>B|1 B>AA>B A>GE>G:|]2 B>AA>B A3 B]|:[P:B]c>Bc>d c2 G2|
c>de>f g>ed>B|c>BA>c e3 d|c>de>c d>BG>B|c>Bc>d c2 G2|c>de>f g>ed>g|
e>aa>g e/f/g e>d|B>AA>B A3 B:|]|:[P:C]c>Bc>B A>BA>G|A>Bc>d e/f/g d>c|B>G ~G2 d>G ~G2|
c>de>c d>BG>B|c>Bc>B A>BA>G|A>Bc>d e/f/g d>g|e>aa>g e/f/g e>d|1 B>AA>B A3 B:|]2
B>AA>B A2 B>d]|:[P:D]e2 a2 a2 g>a|b2 a2 g2 e>d|e>fg>f g>ab>a|g>ab>g a>ge>d|
e2 a2 a2 g>a|b2 a2 g2 g>e|d2 e>f g>ed>B|B>AA>B A2 B>d:|]|:[P:E]e4 f>e e>d|e4 f>e d>B|
d4 d>BA>B|d>d f>d e>dB>d|e4 f>e e>d|e>aa>e f>ed>B|1 A>Bd>f e>dd>B|B>AA>B A2 B>d:|]2
A>Bd>f e>fd>B|B>AA>B A3 e|]x//[P:F1]a2 e2 e>fg>e|a2 e2 e>fa>g|Tf2 d2 d>^cd>e|Tf2 d2 d3 e|
a2 e2 e>fg>e|a2 e2 e>fd>B|A>Bd>f e>dd>B|B>AA>B A3 e||[P:F2]a2 e2 f/f/e g>e|a2 e2 e2 a>g|
Tf2 d2 d>^cd>e|Tf2 d2 d3 e|a2 e2 e>fg>e|a2 e2 e>fd>B|A>Bd>f e>fd>B|B>AA>B A4|]
T:In the E music above I have not attempted to represent Liam O’Flynn’s staccato piping ornamentation.
T:The following separate alternative transcription of the section is an attempt to do so.
[P:E]“@4,38 (alternative)”|: e4 f/f/e e>d|e4 f/f/e d>B| d4 d>BA>B|d/d/d x6 & d/^c/d f>d e>dB>d|e4 f/f/e e>d|
e>aa>e f/f/e d>B|1 A>Bd>f e>dd>B|B>AA>B A2 B>d:|]2 A>Bd>f e>fd>B|B>AA>B A3 e|]

Johnny Cope, X:6

This setting is based on track 10 of Mick O’Brien’s “May Morning Dew” where he plays it on a B whistle with lovely piano accompaniment. It’s my favorite setting of this epic hornpipe and I was surprised it wasn’t here already, so I taught myself ABC’s to remedy this void. Enjoy!

Johnny Cope, X:7

Based on Noel Hill’s playing in *Noel Hill and Tony Linnane*.

Posted by .

Re: Johnny Cope

Most transcriptions of this tune give the second and third parts as distinct, repeatable sections - as in X:1. Is this how the piece is commonly played? (How do YOU do it?). It’s always seemed to me that these melody lines are so similar that the second time through is merely a slight variation of the first. This is how it’s shown in the transcription of Ms Barry’s setting linked to Chad’s comment above: (http://www.rogermillington.com/tunetoc/johnnycopebarry.html). Does anybody else think that this this is the way to play it ?

Posted by .

Re: Johnny Cope

I also think this started as a march.
Feels to me like a sped up march

What Eubonian said.

Pat