CLEMATIS
The clematis is a deliciously fragrant flower that represents the principle of idealism and creativity and therefore perfectly justifies the name given to this baroque music ensemble: creativity because this repertoire can only live through an interpretation based on the moment and on continuous renewal; idealism because creativity in this repertoire is directly linked to respect for authentic source material.
The violinist Stéphanie de Failly founded the Clematis ensemble in 2001 with the aim of exploring the lesser-known repertoire of the 17th century. The ensemble tackles both the vast Italian repertoire as well German works, although with a particular focus on the forgotten works of composers from the Netherlands such as Nicolaus à Kempis, Carolus Hacquart and Gioseffe Zamponi. The Clematis ensemble undertook the restoration and re-creation of Zamponi’s opera Ulisse all’isola di Circe, which had first been performed in Brussels in 1650. The recording of this opera features a dazzling cast under the direction of Leonardo García-Alarcón and was released by Ricercar.
The ensemble has a particularly flexible structure and selects musicians for specific musical projects under its founder’s direction; all of its musicians are active members of the finest Baroque ensembles of the moment. The ensemble gives numerous concerts abroad in addition to its performances in Belgium, appearing in France, the Netherlands, the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, Italy, Germany, Switzerland, Spain, Israel, Poland, Bolivia, Mexico, and Russia.
One of Clematis’s particular areas of interest is Italian instrumental music of the17th-century, with an emphasis on works that developed the violin’s technique and repertoire, as illustrated by the recordings devoted to Carlo Farina and Giovanni Legrenzi.
Another of their areas if interest is the German sacred instrumental repertoire from the early 17th century until the early works of Johann Sebastian Bach. The ensemble released a recording of the complete instrumental works by David Pohle in 2024 as part of the celebrations marking the 400th anniversary of Pohle’s birth. CLEMATIS , a recording was released. Clematis subsequently began recordings of Pohle’s complete sacred works in 2025.
Clematis may call upon guest conductors for certain projects, particularly those involving singers; these include Brice Sailly and Yoann Moulin.
Their extensive discography had been recorded mainly with Ricercar and has received numerous accolades from the international press,.
Clematis also collaborates with other ensembles, principally with the Chœur de chambre de Namur.
Clematis are resident artists at the Grand-Manège in Namur and benefits from a contrat de création with the Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles (FWB).
Stéphanie de FAILLY
Artistic Director
Violin
Originally from Bruges, Stéphanie de Failly began playing the violin at the age of four. After obtaining her advanced diploma in Véronique Bogaerts' class at the Royal Conservatory of Mons, she continued her studies with renowned masters such as Hermann Krebbers (Amsterdam), Carlo Van Neste, and Günter Pichler (Alban Berg Quartet). Initially focused on the classical repertoire, she later turned to the baroque violin and in 1997 joined Sigiswald Kuijken's class at the Royal Conservatory of Brussels. Driven by a deep passion for 17th-century music, she subsequently pursued advanced studies at the Early Music Centre of the Geneva Conservatory with Florence Malgoire, where she earned a postgraduate diploma in 2002. She founded her own ensemble, Clematis, in 2001. The ensemble's recordings and concerts faithfully reflect Stéphanie de Failly's musical affinities: 17th-century Italian music (Carlo Farina, Girolamo Frescobaldi, Vitali, etc.), but also the rediscovery of composers who left their mark on the musical history of the former Southern Netherlands, such as Nicolaus A. Kempis, Carolus Hacquart, Matheo Romero, and Gioseffo Zamponi. Recordings by Stéphanie de Failly and the CLEMATIS ensemble are released by Ricercar. In 2012, an album entirely dedicated to the works for violin and basso continuo by Giovanni Battista and Tomaso Antonio Vitali was released. For the famous Chaconne, Stéphanie de Failly chose to return to the original manuscript, revealing all the subtlety of the work. This meticulous work has earned her international acclaim, including a "Choc" award from Classica and 5 Diapasons from Diapason magazine. Stéphanie de Failly plays on a Giovanni Battista Rogeri violin dating from 1699.
