Haydn was hired in 1761 as Vice-Kapellmeister in the musical establishment of Prince Anton Esterházy, a leading member of the Hungarian nobility. When Nicholas Esterházy succeeded to the title of Prince after the death of Anton, he had a large hunting lodge in the rural community of Suttor expanded into a great palace, Esterháza, where Haydn and the musicians he supervised (the composer was the acting Kapellmeister now) spent part of their year. It was in 1765 that Nicholas began his practice of summer residence there.

D major was a key often used for festive, celebratory music, qualities that this symphony certainly possesses. It probably was written to welcome the Esterházy retinue to the Suttor residence. D major had festive overtones because the trumpet could be played in that key, and because horns pitched in that key had a useful high range. Haydn used four horns rather than the usual two in this symphony for a richer, more heraldic sound. Haydn scholar H.C. Robbins Landon concludes that Haydn would have separated the horns into two pairs, placing them on opposite sides of the orchestra or otherwise spatially apart from each other, to play echo effects.

The symphony has strong concertante qualities; Haydn was probably showing off the talents of his musicians as Prince Nicholas was showing off his new residence. There are solos for flute, oboe, violin, cello, horn, and even the bass (a violone, not quite the same instrument as the familiar double bass, the bass viol). The symphony begins with a familiar horn call that was played by the drivers on the official postal delivery coaches to announce their arrival. The slow movement has difficult parts for cello and for violin. There is excellent and original scoring for interlocked oboes and horns in the minuet. The finale is in the form of a theme and variations. Each variation is for a different solo instrument until all the principals have had a turn, and the scope of the finale as a whole is notable.

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