"Tre giorni son che Nina in letto senesta" (often called "Nina" or the "Siciliana") is an 18th-century song long attributed to Pergolesi, but now more often to Vincenzo Legrenzo Ciampi (1719–1762). The song was one of the "Arie antiche" favourites of 19th-century salons associated with Alessandro Parisotti, and in the 20th century was recorded by Enrico Caruso, Tito Schipa, Giuseppe Anselmi, Richard Tucker as well as more recently, by Alfredo Kraus and Ramon Vargas. The attribution to Pergolesi may have come from the mistaken assumption that the song is based on an aria sung about Nina in Pergolesi's Lo frate 'nnamorato.
References
- Charles Osborne The Concert Song Companion: A Guide to the Classical Repertoire 1475700490 2012 " 'Nina' ('Tre giorni son che Nina in letto senesta'), ... but now usually attributed to Vincenzo Ciampi (1719–1762) whose authorship of this melodious and graceful song is, however, by no means certain."
- Frank Greene - Composers on Record 0810818167 1985 "CIAMPI, Vincenzo (?1719-1762) S.10 has an entry "Pergolesi, Nina. See Ciampi, Nina". This is a reference to the song "Tre giorni son che Nina" whose authorship "remains uproved". It has been attributed to Giovanni Battista Pergolesi and to ..."
- The world's encyclopædia of recorded music Volume 3 -1952 Page 134 "CIAMPI, Legrenzio Vincenzo (1719-1762) Tre giorni son che Nina Song. (often called "Nina" or "Siciliana"). Attributed frequently but incorrectly to Pergolesi, q.v.; and also to Ciampi, who ...
- The Music Magazine/Musical Courier Volumes 141-142 1950- Page 35 "... perpetuates an old error. The pretty, and very familiar Nina is not by Giovanni Battista Pergolesi but by Legrenzio Vincenzo Ciampi (1719-1762)."