The Symphony in D major, Hoboken catalogue number I:72, was probably composed by Joseph Haydn in 1763, when he was employed as Vice-Kapellmeister by Prince Nikolaus I Esterházy. Despite its high catalogue number, it is in fact an early composition by Haydn. The unusual instrumentation, featuring four horns instead of the usual two, is noteworthy.
This work shows great similarities to Symphony No. 31, composed in 1765, particularly regarding the use of four horns, their demanding part-writing, and the soloistic prominence of individual instruments in the slow movement and the finale. The structure of the final movement in variation form and the resulting divertimento-like atmosphere also connect the two works. The absence of wind instruments in the Andante suggests a composition before 1768. Musicologists assume that Symphony No. 72 was composed between August and December 1763, as Haydn only had four horn players available during specific periods, namely August/December 1763 or 1765/1766. In April 1763, two new musicians, Franz Reiner and Karl Franz, arrived at court, doubling the number of horn players to four—a considerable expansion for the time.
Since Symphony No. 72 is shorter and simpler in structure than Symphony No. 31, it is considered the earlier of the two compositions.