The instrument was standard in French mid-19th century serious operas by Meyerbeer, Halevy, and Auber, as well as English operas by Michael Balfe, Vincent Wallace, and others.
Crumhorns were used in Doctor Who and the Silurians as a theme for the reptile men and in his final score for the series, Revenge of the Cybermen in 1975, he made use of serpents and ophicleides whenever the Cybermen appeared.
In 1902 he moved to Havana, and founded the band La Juventud, with himself as director and cornet, Rogelio Solis (double bass), Félix González (figle), José Belén Puig (first clarinet), José Urfé (second clarinet), José de los Reyes (kettle drum) and Rufino Cárdenas (güiro).