Joseph Haydn composed his set of 6 String Quartets, Op. 17, in 1771. It was published the following year by J. J. Hummel, originally under the name String Quartets, Op. 9. This was later changed to Op. 17, and currently they are referred to as Hob. III: 25-30 according to the Hoboken catalogue, the standard for Haydn's works.
