Composed, 1787.
Circumstances of premiere are unknown.
Performed by The Park Avenue Chamber Symphony on October 11, 12 & 22, 2003.

In 1787, a German music critic posed the question: "Who has ever heard a Haydn symphony without delight?" Though Haydn was isolated at the court of Eszterháza, music lovers throughout Western Europe knew well the delights of hearing a Haydn symphony. Parisians were as rabidly enthusiastic about Haydn's symphonies as Londoners. A writer from the English Gazetteer & New Daily Advertiser wrote in 1785:
    "There is something very distressing to a liberal mind in the history of Haydn. This wonderful man, who is the Shakespeare of music . . . is doomed to reside in the court of a miserable German Prince . . . Would it not be an achievement equal to a pilgrimage, for some aspiring youths to rescue him from his fortune and transplant him to Great Britain the country for which his music seems to be made?"
    There was indeed a world that wanted to emancipate Haydn from his servitude. In 1790, events would see to Haydn's liberation when Prince Nicolaus Eszterháza, who financed Haydn's secure musical laboratory for so long, died after a short illness. The prince's heir, Prince Antony, had little interest in music and disbanded the orchestra. Haydn was dismissed with a life pension of 1000 gulden per year and his freedom. Barely packed, Haydn raced to Vienna where arrangements were soon made for a visit to England.
    Haydn's music resonated with the aesthetics of the Enlightenment. The music is always clear and intelligible without baroque ornateness or artificial complexity. Optimistic in its outlook and energy, the music creates the impression that Haydn's creative juices would never dry up. Haydn was also a talent whose origins stemmed from common folk. To Haydn, Mozart said: "Papa! You have had no education for the great world, and you speak too few languages." – "Oh!" replied Haydn, "my language is understood all over the world!". His merits and some good luck brought him success. And despite his seclusion in the Eszterháza court, Haydn's music is spectacularly cosmopolitan.
    The Symphony No. 88 in G embodies the finest qualities of Haydn's orchestral music. Often remarked upon are the clarity and sophistication of the first movement, the startling use of the trumpet and drums in the second, the "Dudelsack"-effect (German bagpipes) in the Trio of the third, and the brilliant and imitatively intricate sonata-rondo finale. As the critic says: "Trying to praise works of such originality and perfection . . . would be laughable." The same holds true more than 200 years later.
    It is important to note the strange publication history that causes this work to lie between the earlier Paris and later London Symphonies without being part of either collection. Haydn entrusted this symphony to the Eszterháza violinist Tost to fetch the highest price from a Paris publisher. Tost's scruples were not the highest. He tried to sell works to which he did not have the rights, and tried to sell a work by another composer as one by Haydn to get the best price. Haydn waited far too long for his money, but ultimately his affairs were made right. In terms of its style, the Symphony is more closely akin to the earlier Paris symphonies. The London Symphonies would open a new chapter.