Part 1: The Personal
Part 2: The Professional
Part 3: The Informational
Part 4: Join the Conversation
Part 5: An Annotated Conversation
Many of my friends are still confused about Twitter. My last set of posts on the subject outlined some of the general benefits. But understanding how Twitter might be useful for a specific person can be difficult to draw from generalities -- especially if there's no personal experience to draw on.
So I present a recent group of tweets I participated in that might help demonstrate not only some of the social and professional value of Twitter, but the usefulness of one of its tools.
A little bit of background. This conversation is about classical music, but even if you don't care a fig for it, please read on. What's important here are the underlying concepts, which could just as easily be applied to conversations about needlework, investment banking, or college lacrosse teams.
In this group of tweets, all of the participants agreed to listen to a concerto each day in the month of March -- just for fun. Note that the tweets use the the same hashtag (#concertoaday). Putting the # sign in front of a word (or phrase without spaces) creates a unique term that's easily searchable on Twitter. And some third-party programs let you click on a hashtag to pull up all related posts.
Twitter names are noted with the @ symbol in front of the account name. This turns them into links in Twitter-based programs. Below is an actual Twitter conversation, followed by an annotated version First, the original conversation (each day's tweets are spread over an 8-10 hour period):
March 1, 2010
UMKCCons:
My first #concertoaday for March! Vasks: English Horn Concerto @NaxosMusicLib WER6705-2
RalphGraves:
@UMKCCons I'm in for the #concertoaday. First up: Daniel Asia's Piano Concerto (Summit Records)
villa_lobos:
#concertoaday Hummel's 2nd Piano Concerto, with Stephen Hough on @ChandosRecords - from the 30th Anniversary set: http://bit.ly/dcicUv
NaxosMusicLib:
RT @DrGeoduck: #concertoaday in March sounds like a fine idea, @UMKCCons, @villa_lobos, #symphonyaday
UMKCCons:
Listening to Menotti Violin Concerto for #concertoaday sigh. Not the best choice. Was hoping Barber would have rubbed off on him. Alas.
NaxosMusicLib:
is bidding good-bye to #symphonyaday but ushering in #concertoaday for March with the incomparable... http://bit.ly/bps1S5 (expand
DrGeoduck:
First #concertoaday: Schumann Cello Concerto.
RalphGraves:
#concertoaday Max Bruch: Concerto for 2 pianos, Op. 88a. Classic Philips recording w/Katia & Marielle Labeque, Semyon Bychkov & Philharmonia
UMKCCons:
@RalphGraves @Tom_godell I only know the Bruch violin cto. Will check the others out. #concertoaday
Tom_Godell:
@RalphGraves Isn't that the arrangement of the clarinet/viola concerto? If so, it's a lovely piece.
RalphGraves:
@Tom_Godell According to the liner notes, Bruch's Concerto for 2 Pianos started life as a suite for organ and orchestra.
Tom_Godell:
@RalphGraves It'd be very interesting to hear the original suite. I wonder if it was published?
RalphGraves:
@Tom_Godell There is a version of the original version available on CD from a very small label I'm not familiar with. http://ow.ly/1deXZ
UMKCCons: #concertoaday Nerding out. Jan Bach: Steel Drum Cto and Gould: Tap Dancer Cto @NaxosMusicLib TROY521. Wish me luck! Can my ears handle it?
RalphGraves
@UMKCCons Two cool pieces I wasn't aware of before. Who says Twitter's useless? (I'm actually finding it to be quite expensive).
villa_lobos: You had me at Moderato Nobile - #concertoaday Korngold's Violin Concerto - all the wonder & excitement of early Technicolor
UMKCCons
#concertoaday Kurt Weill: Violin Concerto in honor of his birthday on @NaxosMusicLib PSC1090 @Tom_godell Scottish Fantasy LURV!
DrGeoduck
A quite recent #concertoaday today: the Colin Matthews Violin Concerto
March 3, 2010
UMKCCons:
#concertoaday all 3 Bartok piano concertos. It's that kind of day. If I have to lecture on Schubert, I need one of my favs to get me thru.
RalphGraves:
#concertoaday Music by the finest swordsman in all of France, Joseph Boulogne de Saint-Georges. Violin Concerto in D, Op. 3 (Naxos 8.557322)
DrGeoduck:
Today's #concertoaday is the Richard Strauss Horn Concerto no. 2. There's something golden and autumnal about late Strauss.
NaxosMusicLib:
#concertoaday is David Chesky's Violin and Flute Concerto (SACD288) http://bit.ly/cZHmYK
villa_lobos:
#concertoaday Villa-Lobos Guitar Concerto - Norbert Kraft's on @NaxosRecords 8.550729 is my favourite
ralphgraves
@villa_lobos Why am I not surprised? Definitely a good choice, though. And a good recording.
villa_lobos:
@RalphGraves #concertoaday is a good choice for the Villa-Lobos lover. His symphonies aren't top drawer - lots to choose from concerto-wise
**********
Think Twitter's a total waste of time? Read the annotated conversation:
UMKCCons:
My first #concertoaday [hashtag to organize conversation] for March! [Peteris] Vasks: English Horn Concerto @NaxosMusicLib [this is an account of an employee at Naxos Records -- watch how this company benefits from their Twittering] WER6705-2
[This is the catalog number for the CD -- free publicity for Naxos]
RalphGraves:
@UMKCCons I'm in for the #concertoaday. [My use of the hashtag brings me into the conversation] First up: Daniel Asia's Piano Concerto (Summit Records)
[a nice plug for Summit Records]
villa_lobos:
#concertoaday [hashtag] Hummel's 2nd Piano Concerto, with Stephen Hough on @ChandosRecords [Chandos Records issued this recording, @ChandosRecords is their Twitter account] - from the 30th Anniversary set: http://bit.ly/dcicUv
[This is a shortened URL that links to the Chandos page giving you additional information. Because tweets are limited to 140 characters, several URL shortening sites have sprung up.In this case, http://bit.ly was used. One thing to note: bit.ly and other URL-shorteners allow you to track usage. The originator will be able to see how many people clicked on this link, when, and from what country.]
NaxosMusicLib:
RT [RT is the designation for "retweeting." This is the equivalent of forwarding an email. Usually after the letters RT you'll see account name of the original tweeter -- in this case, DrGeoDuck.] @DrGeoduck: #concertoaday in March sounds like a fine idea, @UMKCCons, @villa_lobos, [the inclusion of these names ensures that these accounts will see this message] #symphonyaday
[This hashtag refers to the previous month's game of listening to a symphony a day. Including this hashtag ensures the tweet shows up in both hashtag sorts, which in this case helps the followers of the "symphony a day" conversation transition into the "concerto a day" thread.]
UMKCCons:
Listening to [Carlo] Menotti Violin Concerto for #concertoaday sigh. Not the best choice. Was hoping Barber would have rubbed off on him. Alas.
[Idle chatter? Not for me. I wasn't aware that Menotti wrote a violin concerto. And because through other conversations I know how my musical taste lines up with UMKCCons, I know it's not likely I'd enjoy this work either.]
NaxosMusicLib:
is bidding good-bye to #symphonyaday [hashtag links to older thread] but ushering in #concertoaday [hashtag links to new topic] for March with the incomparable... http://bit.ly/bps1S5 (expand)
[This is an interesting work-around of the 140 character limit. Because the message is too long, NaxosMusicLib includes a shortened URL -- basically the equivalent of adding a second page. Note that the link goes to the Naxos Music Library Facebook page, driving traffic (and building awareness of) said Facebook page. On that page is the disc -- which has a Naxos catalog number, of course. So although NaxosMusicLib has entered the spirit of the conversation, they're also subtly -- and very appropriately -- strengthening their brand.]
DrGeoduck:
First #concertoaday: Schumann Cello Concerto.
[Just contributing to the conversation.]
RalphGraves:
#concertoaday [Note that I launch right into the meat of the message. I'm relying on the hashtag to provide context, having it understood that this is what I will be listening to for my concerto a day.] Max Bruch: Concerto for 2 pianos, Op. 88a. Classic Philips recording w/Katia & Marielle Labeque, Semyon Bychkov & Philharmonia
[The use of ampersands, and other abbreviations very helpful with only 140 characters to use.]
UMKCCons:
[I'm using indentations to indicate replies. If you just send out a tweet, everyone sees it. If you use the reply button, everyone still sees the answer, but the other person's name appears first to indicate the relationship. Some Twitter apps will link together these responses so you can follow the thread -- as I've done here. If you respond privately, "direct message" you'll see DM at the start of the tweet.]
@RalphGraves @Tom_godell [Two names are included, as this is actually a response to both of us.] I only know the Bruch violin cto. Will check the others out. #concertoaday
[UMKCCons uses the hashtag to ensure other people involved with concerto a day will also see this tweet.]
Tom_Godell:
@RalphGraves Isn't that the arrangement of the clarinet/viola concerto? If so, it's a lovely piece.
[A second response to my tweet. I actually got this after UMCCon's response, but I believe it was sent first.]
RalphGraves:
@Tom_Godell According to the liner notes, Bruch's Concerto for 2 Pianos started life as a suite for organ and orchestra.
[Yes, we're two music geeks. But consider how helpful/fun such an in-depth conversation could be in your own area of interest.]
Tom_Godell:
@RalphGraves It'd be very interesting to hear the original suite. I wonder if it was published?
RalphGraves:
@Tom_Godell There is a version of the original version available on CD from a very small label I'm not familiar with. http://ow.ly/1deXZ
[This is another shortened URL that leads to the product page for this release at ArkivMusic.com. Not only does it provide additional information for our conversation, but if Tom_Godell wanted to, he could immediately purchase the CD. A nice benefit for ArkivMusic -- and they're not even part of the conversation!]
UMKCCons: #concertoaday Nerding out. Jan Bach: Steel Drum Cto [Cto is a standard abbreviation for "concerto." 140 character limit, remember?] and [Morton] Gould: Tap Dancer Cto @NaxosMusicLib TROY521. [Another reference back to Naxos. And UMKCCons includes the catalog number. So if I'm interested in these works, I have the info I need to track them down and purchase them.] Wish me luck! Can my ears handle it?
RalphGraves
@UMKCCons Two cool pieces I wasn't aware of before. Who says Twitter's useless? (I'm actually finding it to be quite expensive).
[I've ended up purchasing several recordings based on these in-depth conversations with colleagues who share my interests.]
villa_lobos: You had me at Moderato Nobile - #concertoaday Korngold's Violin Concerto - all the wonder & excitement of early Technicolor
UMKCCons
[This is unusual. There are actually two different things going on in this tweet.]
#concertoaday Kurt Weill: Violin Concerto in honor of his birthday on @NaxosMusicLib PSC1090 [Another unsolicited plug for the Naxos Music Library service] @Tom_godell Scottish Fantasy LURV!
[A reference to our earlier conversation about Max Bruch (who wrote the Scottish Fantasy)]
DrGeoduck
A quite recent #concertoaday today: the Colin Matthews Violin Concerto
March 3, 2010
UMKCCons:
#concertoaday all 3 Bartok piano concertos. It's that kind of day. If I have to lecture on Schubert, I need one of my favs to get me thru.
[UMKCCons shares some personal information about his day. Some disparage Twitterers for talking about what they're having for breakfast, etc. But a college professor talking about music to other colleagues in the field, this is simply relevant (and interesting) small talk, which could potentially lead to a conversation about Schubert.]
RalphGraves:
#concertoaday Music by the finest swordsman in all of France, Joseph Boulogne de Saint-Georges. Violin Concerto in D, Op. 3 (Naxos 8.557322)
[I don't think a lot of people are familiar with Saint-Georges, so I'm providing a little background cast as a teaser. And notice that I'm also sending some traffic to Naxos.]
DrGeoduck:
Today's #concertoaday is the Richard Strauss Horn Concerto no. 2. There's something golden and autumnal about late Strauss.
[If you don't know this work, this is a wonderfully succinct and evocative characterization.]
NaxosMusicLib:
#concertoaday is David Chesky's Violin and Flute Concerto (SACD288) http://bit.ly/cZHmYK
[This link goes the Naxos Music Library Facebook page.]
villa_lobos:
#concertoaday Villa-Lobos Guitar Concerto - Norbert Kraft's on @NaxosRecords 8.550729 is my favourite
[Another unsolicited endorsement. Why all the Naxos love? Probably because Naxos employees are regularly part of the conversation, and they aren't just there to sell stuff. They converse as real people, chatting about the topic at hand, sharing details of their days, joking, posting pictures, and building a lot of good will for their brand.]
ralphgraves [I respond publicly to villa_lobos' tweet]
@villa_lobos Why am I not surprised? [villa-lobos' favorite composer is, of course, Hector Villa-Lobos. Just teasing a little here.] Definitely a good choice, though. And a good recording.
[Another unsolicited endorsement. I have the recording, and I really do like it.]
villa_lobos: [the conversation continues]
@RalphGraves #concertoaday is a good choice for the Villa-Lobos lover. His symphonies aren't top drawer - lots to choose from concerto-wise.
If you want to see how the conversation's progressed throughout the month, just use a Twitter search program and look for the hashtag #concertoaday -- or pick a topic you're interested in, put # in front of it, and search for that hashtag. You might be surprised at the results.
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