Orchestral percussion as trivial or unimportant simply because, to the untrained eye (or ear), they seem easy to play. The truth is, however, that auxiliary percussion often requires the most use of extended techniques and that the parts for these instruments are frequently the most difficult. Other auxiliary percussion instruments include: Crash cymbals have been used in an orchestral setting since the time of Mozart, when he adopted their sound from traditional Turkish bands to be used in his opera "Abduction from the Seraglio". Since then, crash cymbals have become one of the most written for percussion instruments in classical music and
Robert Lloyd (bass) period 1988-2008. He has sung leading roles at Glyndebourne and with other British opera companies, and has appeared in major opera houses throughout the world. He sings roles in British, German, Italian, French and Russian works (Claggart and Superintendent Budd in Benjamin Britten's "Billy Budd" and "Albert Herring", the Priest and Angel of Agony in Edward Elgar's "The Dream of Gerontius"; Sarastro in "The Magic Flute", Osmin in "The Abduction from the Seraglio", Rocco in "Fidelio", Seneca in "The Coronation of Poppea", Gurnemanz in "Parsifal", Fasolt in "Das Rheingold"; Don Basilio in "The Barber of Seville", Fiesco in "Simon Boccanegra",