Walter Holy and Michael Laird: the Evolution of the Finger-Holed Trumpet

2 August 2025, 11:00

I’m delighted to share the release of a long-awaited video interview, filmed in Wandsworth in May 2023, between myself and the now-retired trumpeter Michael Laird (b. 1942). In it, Michael reflects on his studies with Walter Holy (1921–2006), which began in 1963, and the development of the finger-holed trumpet during the ‘Early Music Revival’ of the late 20th century.

When I was a student at the Royal College of Music, from 2010 to 2012, I had the privilege of studying with Michael Laird. I used to have lessons at his home in Raynes Park, near Wimbledon; in his teaching room we were surrounded by shelves of his trumpets, sheet music, and recordings, and three coiled trumpets hanging from hooks off to the side of the shelves often caught my eye. Michael kindly loaned me those instruments while I was at college, and several years later, when he retired, Michael gave them to me to look after.

I wanted to make a video to explore the significance of those particular instruments, made by Helmut Finke, and to share some information about the people who played them: Michael Laird and Walter Holy. I invited my friend Zen Grisdale, a professional videographer, to film the interview and he captured the footage of us, at Michael’s apartment, on 11 May 2023.

I felt that it was important to capture this oral history from Michael Laird, who spoke so eruditely on the subject, and once I had thought of the idea (which stemmed from making a video about my English Slide Trumpet), I wasted no time in organising a recording opportunity. However, once we had captured the footage, I felt the sense of urgency subside. I had a book to finish—‘Just’ Natural Trumpet, which I published on 2 August 2024. It was only after the book was completed that I was finally able to sufficiently ‘clear the decks’ both on my laptop and my to do list in order to muster enough disk space and get into the right headspace (around a busy performing and touring schedule) to be able to edit the footage, from three cameras and 2 microphone channels, running concurrently, into a cohesive video. The video was released on Saturday 2 August 2025—the first anniversary of the ‘Just’ Natural Trumpet book launch.

I am delighted with the resulting video, and I hope you will enjoy it too. I would encourage anyone with similar ambitions to document an oral history to go ahead and do it as soon as possible. Smart phone cameras are perfectly good enough, these days, to capture the video and it is better to do it now rather than to perhaps regret not doing it, one day; so don’t delay!

Video available from 12:00 on Saturday 2 August 2025

Michael Laird discussed how Walter Holy’s pioneering three-hole system, developed in Cologne in c. 1958 with the trumpet maker Helmut Finke (1923–2009) and the bassoonist Otto Steinkopf (1904–1980), shaped the trajectory of trumpet playing. The three-hole system was originally developed for use on coiled trumpets. However, when this system was applied to trumpets in the twice-wound format, preserving the three hole positions required adding an extra loop of tubing to the top bow of the trumpet.

The system developed by Michael Laird in London in c. 1970 consisted of four holes placed in close succession; this negated the need for an additional loop of tubing in the trumpet, allowing the design of the finger-holed trumpet to more closely follow the format of historical natural trumpets found in museums. This four-hole system became the standard for many players in the United Kingdom and beyond. Due to the close spacing of the four holes, it became possible for instrument makers to produce finger-holed trumpets that could be easily converted into natural trumpets by means of a single interchangeable second yard.

This fascinating interview is framed by the story of Michael’s encounters with Walter Holy, a Weihnachtskonzert in Wuppertal in 1963 in which he heard Walter Holy playing, and three coiled trumpets made by Finke, one of which was originally Holy’s, later Laird’s, and is now in Gilmour’s care.

Michael also mentions many of his colleagues, including trumpeters John Wilbraham, Iaan Wilson, Philip Jones, Crispian Steele-Perkins, David Staff, Bob Farley, Steve Keavy, and Mark Bennett.

The full interview is available to watch on YouTube from 12:00 on Saturday 2 August 2025. Please like the video and subscribe to the channel. If you’d like to know more about the history and repertoire of the natural trumpet, my book ‘Just’ Natural Trumpet is available from www.justnaturaltrumpet.com.

Russell Gilmour

writing on music, photography, engraving, travel and life as a freelance professional musician.

Russell Gilmour's innovative new book, 'Just' Natural Trumpet, is now available: please click here for more information.