Franz Schubert was, beyond all question in my mind, the most fertile and original melodist that ever lived, and he is the first of the great songwriters in rank as well as in time. Schubert died leaving nearly 1,000 compositions, nearly all of which are marked by his distinctive genius. Franz Schubert was the most fertile and original melodist that ever lived, and he is the first of the great songwriters in rank as well as in time.
