Acqua alta by Rafał Augustyn for the saxophone and electronics is the latest of his four cyclical pieces. Their inspiration lies in the phenomena repeated in time or space. The composition refers to the geometrical decorative patterns appearing on old Italian mosaics, especially in Venice. “These fascinating structures – says the composer – often use optical illusions, sometimes reminiscent of M. C. Escher’s famous visual paradoxes; it is how I try to transfer them into the realm of sound.” The composition material also conceals allusions to Italian culture and comes from three sources: the urban landscapes of Venice and Udine, the sounds of stones being hit, and the unusual recordings of seven original saxophones captured by Daniel Kientzy in his studio in Paris. Acqua alta was dedicated to that same artist.