I've used this phrase before, but perhaps some day, some composer will come along and drag vocal music kicking and screaming into the late 19th century. Until then, I'll usually just pass on it.
hehehe, I always liked your quote regarding vocal music. I thought it was "kicking and screaming into the 20th century"?
But to be fair, much contemporary harmony IS more difficult to sing.
And one also needs to consider that there are really very few completely professional choruses, where every singer can sight-read and has good-to-perfect intonation.
The two vocal works I recently posted here are about as "modern" as I think I'd dare to compose, going by my experience as both singer and conductor. Without solid instrumental support, most choruses are simply incapable of handling the dissonances required by most contemporary musical languages.
