If that is so, I am back to square zero in my understanding of notations!
For example, I thought that if I wanted to put MIDI data in an XML document,
I would use notations to the indicate the fact. But I can't semantically
interpret MIDI data (or even hear the music) before I've parsed it. The
notation is surely there to tell me that it's MIDI, not that it's Vivaldi.
Mike Kay