In 1960, Theodorakis returned to Greece and his roots in genuine Greek music: With his song cycle "Epitaphios" he started the "third period" of his composing and contributed to a cultural revolution in his country. His most significant and influential works are based on Greek and world poetry – "Epiphania" (Giorgos Seferis), "Little Kyklades" (Odysseas Elytis), "Axion Esti" (Odysseas Elytis), "Mauthausen" (Iakovos Kambanellis), "Romiossini" (Yannis Ritsos), and "Romancero Gitano" (Federico García Lorca) – he attempted to give back to Greek music a dignity which in his perception it had lost. He developed his concept of "metasymphonic music" (symphonic compositions that go beyond the "classical" status and mix symphonic elements with popular songs, Western symphonic orchestra and Greek popular instruments).