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Ernest Bloch’s Avodath Ha-Kodesh: A Synopsis and Detailed Program Note

of Life, whose supporters are happy, whose ways are presented. The Mourner’s Prayer itself (The Kaddish)
paths of pleasantness, and all of whose paths are shalom is usually not included in concert presentations of the
“peace”—a word repeated several times to conclude Sacred Service, although the score directs that it may be
Part IV. Bloch summarizes this section: “Then put the recited, in Hebrew, in the congregational setting.
Law away now that you have understood it. It must be Suzanne Bloch, the composer’s daughter, noted
a living thing, the rejoicing, happiness, the exaltation of Leonard Bernstein’s recording of the Sacred Service
all mankind, ending with the Tree of Life, and that all departed from her father’s intentions for this section
those who are supporters of it are happy.” of the piece, which were reflected in the London re-
In the synagogue, as indicated by the Union Prayer cording in which Bloch himself conducted. Bernstein
Book, this section would be followed by the Sermon. replaced the Kaddish chosen from the Union Prayer
Book with the traditional one, and had the memorial
Part V service intoned in spoken voice rather than sung in
Part V resumes the chanted part of the Service, after Bloch’s setting.
the Sermon. It is nearly entirely non-biblical, except
for a few cited biblical snippets and the Priestly Bene- Tzur Yisrael
diction at its end. Yet—with its ringing declaration of Bloch’s Kaddish is set in counterpoint to a choral re-
brotherhood, final communal recognition of Divine prise of the Tzur Yisrael “Rock of Israel,” from the end
sovereignty, confrontation with death and mourn- of Part I. Tzur Yisrael is a plea for God to arise for the
ing, and intensely personal understanding of the final help of Israel, but this prayer is seen by the composer
hymn—this section, and not the Kedushah or the To- also to be universal, writing:
rah Reading, becomes the culmination of the service.
In a synagogue following the Union Prayer Book, Chorus and Cantor must sing all the follow-
there would be a few readings in English after the Ser- ing [the Tzur Yisrael]… as a far distant lamentation
mon, including the first part of the “Adoration,” based of all mankind—The Answer to this lamen-
on the traditional Alenu prayer. Part V begins with the tation,—this cry for help,—is then the Adon
first part that would be sung, in Hebrew, va-anahnu “and Olom—
as for us, we bend the knee and bow before the King
of the Kings of Kings, the Holy Blessed One” with Adon Olam
cantor and choir alternating. The Sacred Service provides The Sacred Service continues with Adon Olam “Lord of
a musical accompaniment as the minister recites two the World,” a poem often but most likely incorrectly
English texts. The first is an English version of the fi- ascribed to Ibn Gabirol (Spain, eleventh century) and
nal paragraph of the Alenu; the last line, bayom ha-hu, indicated in the 1924 Union Prayer Book as the clos-
“On that day” (Zech. 14:9) is sung in Hebrew, stressing ing hymn for the Evening service. It provides a text at
the hope for universal brotherhood. Bloch made a few once universalistic and personal, referring both to un-
changes in this English text, including the replacement bounded Divine rule, and the courage faith offers in
of “idolatry” by “fetichisms.” all parts of life; perhaps, in the final stanza, be-‘et ishan
“when I sleep”—in facing mortality as well. The first
The Mourner’s Prayer verses refer to God’s universal suzerainty and power,
The English recitation continues with the introduc- predating and surviving Creation. Bloch then provides
tion to the Mourner’s Prayer, composed by Gustav an eight-measure interlude before continuing with the
Gottheil at the end of the nineteenth century. Although hymn as it turns to the individual’s personal reliance
the English text is often simply read, Bloch provided upon God in times of need. The text is now voiced in
music for it to be sung as a kind of recitative. Bloch in- the first person, singular: ve-hu Eli “He is my God.” The
tended these two passages always to be in the vernacu- score directs the Cantor to resume singing “again, as
lar language of the country in which the piece is being an expression of Humanity.” The final stanza, adapted

CHORAL JOURNAL October 2023 Volume 64 Number 3 43