Until the 1780s, Haydn's symphonies were primarily performed at the court of Prince Nikolaus Esterházy. Although he sometimes faced limitations in the rural surroundings of Eisenstadt and Eszterháza, he enjoyed a particularly high reputation in Paris. In 1785, he was commissioned to compose six symphonies for the Comte d'Ogny. Symphonies Nos. 82–87 were composed soon after. Following their sale to a French publisher, two more works (Nos. 88 and 89) reached Paris in 1789.
By this time, Haydn had already composed three additional symphonies: Nos. 90, 91, and 92, which also had a connection to Paris. In 1788, he was commissioned to compose three symphonies for the court orchestra of the Prince of Oettingen-Wallerstein. After some initial hesitation, he found a solution by composing three works and sending them to Paris. Difficulties arose when he was asked to deliver similar scores to the Prince of Oettingen-Wallerstein. Haydn cleverly resolved this problem by sending the Prince only the orchestral parts, explaining that his scores were illegible due to his poor eyesight.
Symphony Nos. 90 and 91 were composed consecutively in 1788. Both begin with slow introductions, with No. 90 distinguished by the fact that the Allegro takes up the main melodic theme of the Adagio. The slow movement is in double variation form, followed by a lively minuet and a finale in sonata form. In Symphony No. 91, which begins with a moderate Largo, Haydn presents another impressive work in the monothematic style with numerous variations.
Haydn completed his Symphony No. 92 in 1789, shortly before the death of Prince Nicholas. His successor disbanded the court orchestra, whereupon the impresario Salomon brought Haydn to London. There he was awarded an honorary doctorate from Oxford University, and he conducted his "Oxford" Symphony at the Sheldonian Theatre. This work demonstrated Haydn's symphonic artistry of the preceding years. The elegant introduction leads to a precise Allegro, followed by a lyrical Adagio cantabile, an exemplary minuet, and a Presto finale characterized by melodic inventiveness.