Jayaprada Ramamurthy was featured by Kalasagaram on the fourth day of its annual festival held at Keyes High School, Secunderabad. She presented this concert in the memory of her guru and mentor N. Ramani, who passed away recently. She was in the company of Chakrapani on violin, Parupalli Balu on mridangam, Srikanth on kanjira and Kali Varaprasad on morsing. Jayaprada played mostly the numbers considered as her guru’s favourites. It was flawless presentation, melodious and classic as well.
Jayaprada launched her concert playing popular Natakuranji varnam Chalamela , she presented in two speeds. She then played another popular number Vatapi Ganapathim of Dikshitar in Hamsadhwani invoking the blessings of Ganesha, Lord of obstacles. She added brief swara too taking the pallavi line. By this time she steadied her concert it became a spirited presentation already. She opened her concert with Papanasam Sivan’s Idathu Padam in Khamas. Jayaprada then chose raga Simhndramadhyamam for the kriti Kamakshi . She played the raga in great detail with nuances here and there and played with emphasis on rishabha and nishada based phrases. The kriti presentation was enriched by playing neraval taking Anupallavi line Kaumari Kusumadhyuti instead of charanam. Swarakalpana that followed was presented in ‘chatusra jathi’ and ‘chatusra gathi’ alternately.
Later Jayaprada went for delineation of Hindolam for ‘Samajavaragamana’ of Thyagaraj and detailed the raga picture with phrases with long note phrases. The kirtana play on this popular wind instrument sounded melodious. Swara passages were presented in the kriti with intricate mathematical calculations with fine teermanam a bit fast paced. She received loud applause from the audience in appreciation.
Jayaprada played Annamacharya kirtana Kanti Shukravaramu in Anandabhairavi that served as a relief to bring in the main raga of the evening Kalyani for a Navaavarna Kriti of Dikshiktar Kamalambam Bhajare . The kriti play carried that needed emotion of bhakti and the swarakalpana that followed was in vilamba and Madyama kalas.
Tani avartanam presented at this stage by the percussionists matched the quality of the concert.
Jayaprada then chose to present RTP applying a mix of Chakravakam of Carnatic style and Ahirbhairavi a Hindustani raga alternated by Jayaprada in her play using short and long flutes. Tanam part was interesting. The pallavi line was Gauri Taye Shankara Jaye penned by Saint Ganapathi and Sachidananda and tuned by her guru N. Ramani. The swarakalpana part was a beauty of rhythmic structures. And the fast play of swaras in higher tempo was thrilling more because of the way she managed her fingers on the instrument tactfully, especially in super speed. And the percussionists played so well that it enhanced the appeal of the number and the concert as well. The final part of Jayaprada’s concert gave space for lighter numbers mostly Tamil compositions. Jayaprada concluded her recital with a tillana of Swathi Tirunal in Dhanashri, a popular number.
