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Analysis

Thomas "Fats" Waller's "A Handful of Keys" is a fast-paced style of piano music that was prevalent in the nightclubs during the Harlem Renaissance. The major key in which is was composed gives the song a joyous feel. The repeated dotted eighth-sixteenth rhythm gives the song a bouncy feel. The fast pace beat helps to add to the bustling pace of the city life that is also reflected in the style of music. The constant staccato notes state their presence, but then are gone the next second. The piece begins quietly, decrescendos, then jumps to forte. This represents the progress of the Harlem Renaissance, how it started in a mild fuss with the northerners, then settled down, then the black community came out again towards the end of the period. The repeated main melody represents the repeated events that the black community faced during the time.

Embodiment of the Harlem Renaissance

The fast tempo parallels to the fast pace of the city life in Harlem. Also, the staccato notes move so quickly that they're there one second and are gone the next. They have served their purpose by keeping up the tempo. This can be compared with the blacks down south who served their purpose and fulfilled their job, but wished to go up north with everyone else. When they left the south, the pace slowed down, and the plantation owners had a hard time keeping up with everything.

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