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Avodath Hakodesh
(2,456 words)

Avodath Hakodesh (Hebr.; "sacred service") is the title of a composition for solo voices, chorus, and orchestra by the Swiss-American composer Ernest Bloch (1880–1959). The basis for the work is the reformed Sabbath liturgy of the Union Prayer Book for Jewish Worship. Its paradox, and a key reason for its historical importance, lies in its double nature as "Western" art music and "Jewish" synagogue music.

1. Introduction

Avodath Hakodesh was the first artistic s…

Cite this page
David M. Schiller, Athens (GA), “Avodath Hakodesh”, in: Encyclopedia of Jewish History and Culture Online, Original German Language Edition: Enzyklopädie Jüdischer Geschichte und Kultur. Im Auftrag der Sächsischen Akademie der Wissenschaften zu Leipzig herausgegeben von Dan Diner. © J.B. Metzler, Stuttgart/Springer-Verlag GmbH Deutschland 2011–2017. Consulted online on 22 September 2023 <http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/2468-8894_ejhc_COM_0065>
First published online: 2017
First print edition: 20170409



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