Quickstep (march music)

Quickstep, quick-step, or quick step  is a lively style of the march music to accompany marches in quick time. It was a common style of the American march music since the early 19th century, developed as an accompaniment to military cadenced step, which is faster than a ceremonial march. The 1908 Grove's Dictionary of Music and Musicians writes that it is the English name for the music of the quick march in the army, in which there are 116 steps of 30 inches per minute, as compared to 75 steps of 30 inches in slow march and 165 of 33 inches in the double time march.

Description
An 1875 article in English Mechanic and World of Science gives the following description: "The military quickstep is formed according to certain strict rules which need not be observed by ordinary arrangers it will suffice for them to remember that it is divided into two portions an 'initial march' and a 'trio'. The former consists of two or three strains in two four or six eight time each of which may be repeated according to the required length of the march the latter of a smoothly flowing melody in key of the subdominant. The latter of a smoothly flowing melody in the key of the sub dominant. <...> The trio should be as distinct as possible in form and time from the former portions of the march and on it the arranger may lavish all his care. It may be made a solo for cornet or euphonion, a duet for cornet and tenor or it may be harmonised as a concerted piece for the principal instruments with a staccato accompaniment for the subordinates."

See Ternary form for the explanation of the term "trio" in this context.

In addition to an initial march and a trio, quicksteps often included an introduction and a closing section.

Quickstep has become a dominant march form in the second half of the 19th century.