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The keyed trumpet, or keyed bugle, is a brass instrument that, contrary to the traditional valved trumpet, uses keys. The keyed trumpet is rarely seen in modern performances, but was relatively common up until the introduction of the valved trumpet in the early nineteenth century. Previous to the invention of the keyed trumpet, the prominent trumpet of the time was the natural trumpet.

The Viennese court trumpeter Anton Weidinger was the one who developed the keyed trumpet. On a natural trumpet it is only possible to play in a handful of related keys. Weidinger developed his own trumpet (and called it the "organized trumpet") that was able to play a chromatic scale.

Due to its physical characteristics (bore, bell, historical mouthpiece) the Keyed Trumpet is closer in tone to the Natural Trumpet than the valved trumpet. It was once said to have sounded like a "Demented Oboe".

J. Haydn - trumpet concerto

In 1796 Joseph Haydn wrote his Trumpet Concerto for Weidinger and it was performed on 22nd of March 1800 at the Imperial and Royal Court Theatre. The piece begins with the broken triads and fanfare motifs common to trumpet music of the time (perhaps as a jibe to the audience who'd come to see this exciting new kind of trumpet), but follows with chromatic runs and diatonic melodies not possible on the valveless natural trumpet.

The highest note in the Haydn trumpet concerto is high concert D♭, or high E♭ on a B♭ trumpet, or a high B♭ on E♭ trumpet for which it was written.

J. N. Hummel - trumpet concerto

Like Haydn, Hummel wrote his Trumpet Concerto for Weidinger. It was written and performed in 1803 to mark his entrance into the Esterházy court orchestra in 1804, following Haydn. There are places, primarily in the second movement, where Weidinger is believed to have changed the music because of the execution of the instrument. It is unknown whether this was in agreement with Hummel.

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