Echo in written works? Check four to find it perhaps (9)

I believe the answer is:

leitmotiv

But I can't explain it at all!

(Other definitions for leitmotiv that I've seen before include "Musical theme" , "recurrent idea" , "Limit vote (anag.)" , "repetitive theme" , "Recurrent theme" .)

I've seen this clue in The Times.

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