In 1783 Haydn wrote to the Paris publisher Boyer, offering him "three beautiful, magnificent, and by no means over-lengthy symphony." He went on to say the had been written for the "English gentlemen" but that "a certain circumstance" prevented Haydn from going to England to present them to that audience. We don't know what this circumstance was.

The three symphonies are the ones commonly numbered 76-78. They are all very good works, sharing some similarities with the twelve late symphonies Haydn eventually did take to London. Number 77 is considered the masterpiece of the three.

The first movement is a sonata-allegro with two contrasting themes. They are presented in simple textures in the exposition, but are treated to delightfully complex counterpoint in the development section.

The slow movement is based on a single theme, presented twice in the first section of the movement. This includes a curious chromatic slide through a G flat. At the final part of the movement, this idea is expanded into a momentary slide to a D flat Major chord. The Minuet and Trio movement features a sophisticated minuet theme and a trio which is in the style of the LŠndler, the Austrian country dance that was a precursor of the waltz.

The final movement is based on one theme. Its character suggest this might be a sprightly rondo, but as the movement develops it is clear this is a sonata-allegro movement based on the single theme. It does not lose the spirited mood as a result of this, but runs through a brief development and recapitulation to a comically short coda.

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