I can think of no other composer who made the most of their last year or
so than Schubert!  In fact, with Schubert I find a gradually increasing
greatness in each of his final works leading up to his death!  Of course,
there are the incredible songs of the Winterreise cycle, a work of 1827
just a year before his death.  Add to that his final 3 piano sonatas which
are brilliant and near perfect piano writing.  The final sonata, in B flat,
is a very touching work.  It is richly harmonic with great melodies as only
Schubert could conjure up!  It was one of the very last compositions by
Schubert written in his final year (1828).

Schubert wrote his "Great" symphony in C major near his death.  This is a
stunningly energetic and powerful work from someone who was incredibly weak
from serious illness.  The 3 piano pieces (impromptus) are also very
wonderful pieces of music for the piano. Each one is a jewel.  These 3
piano pieces are wonderful little orlds of sound and they seem to me to be
underappreciated by the general populous.

In my opinion, nothing could be of more proof to my case than the String
quintet in C major.  This is a perfect work of art.  This was Schubert's
final large-scale work and it is absolutely flawless.  I feel that Schubert
continued to create greater and greater works leading up to this perfect
piece.  Sadly, he was to live no longer.  I believe that no other composer
would have made more out of a few extra years than Schubert, esp.  given
the greatness of what he DID give us.

Wes Crone