Even as string instruments entered a period of relative stability, the wind instruments were about to experience a period of development and experimentation. One only has to peruse the 100+ symphonies of Haydn to see how composers experimented to find the most advantageous and pragmatic combination of instrumental color. The oboe and the bassoon were already accepted as primary soprano and bass instruments of the wind family, while a new upstart named the clarinet became all the rage, first in France and England, then in Vienna. The English horn occasionally had its moments of popularity, as did the flute, contrabassoon, and bassetthorn [an early alto clarinet equipped with an extended lower range]. Except for the French horn, brass and percussion instruments were used sparingly in symphonic form, normally being relegated to the military or the opera.