Editor-in-chief Giuseppe de Robertis Categories Literary magazine Publisher Firenze | Former editors Giuseppe Prezzolini Frequency Weekly Founder Giuseppe Prezzolini | |
La Voce (meaning the Voice in English) was an Italian literary magazine which was published in Florence between 1908 and 1916.
History and profile
La Voce was established as a weekly cultural review by Giuseppe Prezzolini, an anti-conformist Italian author, in 1908. Prezzolini was also co-founder another literary magazine, Leonardo. La Voce was based in Florence and Giovanni Papini was also functional in its establishment.
Prezzolini stopped his writings in the magazine in 1912 due to disagreements with other significant contributors, including Papini, over Italy's intervention in the Libyan war. He also resigned from the magazine as editor-in-chief which he held between 1908 and 1913. In addition, Papini left the magazine in 1913.
Prezzolini was succeeded by Giuseppe de Robertis as editor-in-chief and from December 1914 to December 1916 Robertis directed the magazine.
Soon after its inception La Voce appeared as the most influential forum for dissents in Italy to discuss "social problems created by the new forms of human coexistence in the new industrial world." The early contributors to the magazine considered poetry as a social commitment and moral responsibility. Its ultimate goal was to produce involved readers having social awareness. To this end La Voce employed a language and approach that would welcome all classes.
Until 1914 the magazine exclusively focused on philosophical, ethical and political affairs in addition to literary content. During the period between 14 December 1914 and 31 December 1916 the magazine was published with the title of La Voce Bianca. The content of the magazine also changed and it became a pure literary review using the motto, know how to read. The writers of the magazine at that time commonly produced poetic or prose fragments. It was closely allied with futurists which it had rejected until 1913 when Papini left.
Italian writer and poet Vincenzo Cardarelli and Ardengo Soffici were among the regular contributors to the magazine. The other significant contributor was Benito Mussolini.
The magazine ceased publication in December 1916 after eighteen issues.
Le Voce was modelled by German expressionist magazine Der Sturm which was started in 1910.