Guilty pleasures: Ashish Xiangyi Kumar’s piano analyses

Youtube offers many channels with high quality classical music accompanied by synchronized scores.  Ashish Xiangyi Kumar has an especially good one for piano fans.    A large number of his videos feature two or more pianists interpreting the same work.   To these, he offers his own thoughts on the pieces and the interpretations.   A young Singaporean now studying law at Cambridge, Kumar  brings to task a razor sharp mind and keen persuasive skills honed through a championship debate career.  His notes read like chess matches analyzed by a grandmaster who can both understand and explain  features large and small.  He’s also a composer and if he can play what he writes, his  chops must be first-rate.

The guilt?  The recordings and scores come from somewhere…

For best results, start the videos, then click on the “Watch on Youtube” button and read the commentaries.

Channel: Ashish Xiangyi Kumar

10 comments

  1. I find it incredible he can debate considering he can’t even frame a rational thought in his analyses.

    1. I’ve learned a lot from his writing and been introduced to some fine pianists in the process. He explains nicely what the performer brings out/highlights in a given piece without introducing artifical A-good/B-bad comparisons.

  2. It’s a good channel, except that his knowledge of music is amateurish and shallow, so his analyses are generally worth close to nothing.

  3. He has exceptionally insightful analysis. Those scoffing at him are either jealous or ignorant. He is quite modest and never claims perfection- I find him very easy going in his analysis born from a love of the music and it’s development. He’s the first I’ve found who makes notes on every change as I do.

    1. I’m also grateful to him for introducing me to many fine performers like Grosvenor, Blechacz, and Jumppanen in addition to his postings of Richter, Pollini, Argerich, and other very well known artists.

  4. I enjoy the collection of music and the comments that Ashish makes. There are those that disagree with his observations and interpretations but I’m sure he’s not only doing this for himself and successful piano professionals, but for those of us that have come to appreciate his efforts. Thanks Ashish.

    1. I agree. I don’t know whether he is correct in all the details. As a casual listener and one-time student, I have learned a lot from his approach to things and being introduced to so many excellent but lesser known pianists.

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