Why does classical music (at least from the past) lack drums?

Question

I wonder why the great classical composers from history like Mozart, Beethoven, etc. didn’t make more use of drums or percussion in general?

I mean, they did write quite a lot of bombastic pieces and did all they could to make the parts that needed it to hit hard. So why did’nt they use more than one or two bangs on a kettle drum, giving the one who played them the most boring job in the orchestra?

Also I know that a drum-kit is a rather modern invention, but couldn’t they have used different guys playing different kinds of percussion?

Also maybe I’m completely mistaken and this turns out to be a list of classical music with some blasting in it..

Edit: I’m sencerely apologising to every classical percussionist, reading the answers I clearly underestimated your role

In: 4587

Answer 1

Many people have already commented well, but I will also remind everyone, including OP, that “Classical” (with a capital C) music is also defined as music from about 1750-1830-ish. And indeed percussion was started to be more incorporated. However, if you mean “classical” in a more general, pop-culture way, then most percussion instruments starts to get more use in the mid 1800s onward.

Just a friendly reminder that the term classical to musicians means a specific time period, which would effect style, instrumentation, etc. (and, as with most arts, these same time periods have similar connections to European art and cultural differences as well!)