The Idea of Notational Ekphrasis in Words and Music

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

Review Report for Manuscript humanities-3589395

Title: The Idea of Notational Ekphrasis in Words and Music

 Summary

This article offers a conceptually rich and original contribution to the study of intermediality by introducing the notion of notational ekphrasis. Focusing on musical notation as it appears and is imagined within literary texts—specifically in modernist short fiction by Katherine Mansfield, Virginia Woolf, and Vladimir Nabokov—the author bridges literary analysis, music theory, and semiotics. The paper is well-structured and ambitious in its scope, presenting compelling readings of literary texts through the lens of notation as a visual and symbolic system.

General CommentsThe manuscript demonstrates a deep knowledge of both the theoretical frameworks and the primary texts. It is ambitious in its attempt to define and theorize a previously undertheorized mode of literary-musical intermediality—notational ekphrasis. The discussion is grounded in major works of literary and media theory (Goodman, Rajewsky, Wolf, Krämer), which lends credibility to its conceptual apparatus. That said, some areas could benefit from clarification or expansion, particularly in regard to structure, accessibility of language, and methodological positioning.

Specific Comments

1. Originality and Significance

• The article introduces a novel term (notational ekphrasis) and provides a useful typology of its manifestations.
• It addresses a clear gap in the field of intermediality and music-literature studies, which tends to overlook notation as a semiotic and visual object.
• It builds an excellent bridge between literary theory and music semiotics—an intersection still emerging in humanities scholarship.

2. Scope and Fit for the Journal

• The paper is entirely within the scope of Humanities, particularly in relation to interdisciplinary literary studies, modernism, and intermedial aesthetics.

3. Structure and Clarity

• The article could benefit from clearer signposting across sections. While the argument is rigorous, it can become dense, especially for non-specialists.
• Suggest adding subheadings or clearer transitions between conceptual framework, textual analysis, and conclusion.
• A more concise introductory overview of the argument might help readers grasp the paper’s trajectory from the outset.

4. Methodology and Theoretical Framing

• The theoretical base is strong and interdisciplinary.
• The term notational ekphrasis is defined clearly, but its relation to existing typologies (e.g., Wolf’s overt/covert intermediality, Scher’s verbal music) could be more directly integrated into the analytical parts.
• A methodological reflection on how examples were selected (e.g., why these three short stories?) would strengthen the framework.

5. Literary Analyses

• The close readings of Mansfield, Nabokov, and Woolf are insightful and nuanced.
• The final analysis of Woolf’s The String Quartet introduces speculative visual analogies between the music score and text. While compelling, these may require further substantiation or hedging language.
• Some claims (e.g., about Schubert’s “Trout” Quintet and visual readings of the score) could be more cautiously framed to avoid overinterpretation.

6. Language and Style

• The language is highly academic and at times dense. While appropriate for a specialized readership, it may benefit from occasional simplification of syntax to enhance clarity.
• Terminology is precise and consistently used.

7. Figures/Tables

• None included, but this could be a missed opportunity. The paper might benefit from:
• A sample image of a musical score referenced
• A diagrammatic table summarizing the forms of notational ekphrasis (thematic, evocation, imitation)

8. References

• Extensive and appropriate references. Balanced and well-contextualized

 Evaluation Table (MDPI Criteria)

Criterion	Rating	Comments
Novelty	5/5	The concept of notational ekphrasis is original and expands existing typologies.
Scope	5/5	Highly relevant for Humanities journal readership.
Significance	4/5	Strong potential to shape future discourse on intermediality; clarity could be enhanced.
Quality	4/5	Excellent theoretical depth, but writing could be streamlined in places.
Scientific Soundness	4/5	Well-argued, but speculative elements need clearer framing.
Interestto Readers	4/5	Niche but important topic in literary/music studies; may attract scholars in modernism, semiotics, and intermediality.
Overall Merit	4/5	Valuable and publishable contribution, with revisions.
English Language	4/5	High-level academic English; minor improvements to clarity suggested.

 Recommendation: Minor Revisions

The article offers a compelling and original theoretical contribution. It should be accepted pending revisions aimed at improving clarity, substantiating speculative interpretations, and enhancing readability.

 

Author Response

Dear Reviewer 1, Thank you for your close reading and very useful comments! I have aded suggested subheadings and clearer transitions between conceptual framework, textual analysis, and conclusion as well as figures to elucidate my core arguments.

Reviewer 2 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

This article is an intriguing look at music in a few short stories by important modernists: Katherine Mansfield, Vladimir Nabokov, and Virginia Woolf, and will be of interest to scholars of modernism, especially those interested in sound studies and how music is represented in literature. I suggest some minor revisions throughout, but this article is ready to be published after some light expansion.

The essay is well-written and clear, but could benefit from some further analysis and development. In particular, more time might be spent unravelling the rich descriptions of music that each author gives. This would help avoid a "case study" feel, where each text is introduced to prove a point or serve as an example. It seems that more can be said in each case. In particular, it strikes me that there are some important parallels between the "imaginary content analogies" in Woolf's story and Swann's experience of the Vinteuil sonata in Proust's In Search of Lost Time (particularly the description of it in the section entitled "Swann in Love"). While this is of course a large text and a dense topic, it might be worth a footnote, as Woolf was certainly influenced by her reading of Proust. 

The decision to place Woolf’s story last, even though it comes chronologically in the middle of the other two, has a clear logic but should be signposted a bit more explicitly before doing so. Following from this, a bit more clarity about what each story specifically brings to the table might be helpful in the conclusion.

Author Response

Dear Reviewer 2, Thank you for the careful consideration of my manuscript and the helpful, constructive criticism! Per your suggestion, I have added a section describing Swann's experience of the Vinteuil sonata in Proust's In Search of Lost Time in the discussion on d genealogy of the term motional ekphrasis right at the beginning.