Changes

== Disappearance ==

== Disappearance ==

The details of Richard Halley's story come mainly from [[Dagny Taggart]]'s recollection of the mystery surrounding his disappearance, and from an interview that Halley granted to Miss Taggart after she became an uninvited guest of the valley in June of 2019, the last year of the strike.

The details of Richard Halley's story come mainly from [[Dagny Taggart]]'s recollection of the mystery surrounding his disappearance, and from an interview that Halley granted to Miss Taggart after she became an uninvited guest of the valley in June 2019, the last year of the strike.

Richard Halley wrote four ''[[concerto|concerti]]'' for [[piano]] and [[orchestra]]. He ''also'' wrote a full-length opera, ''Phaëthon'', based on the Greek mythic figure who tried to drive the chariot of the sun and nearly wrecked it, forcing [[Zeus]] to kill him out-of-hand. But in Halley's version, Phaethon kept control of the chariot and drove it successfully across the sky.

Richard Halley wrote four ''[[concerto|concerti]]'' for [[piano]] and [[orchestra]]. He ''also'' wrote a full-length opera, ''Phaëthon'', based on the Greek mythic figure who tried to drive the chariot of the sun and nearly wrecked it, forcing [[Zeus]] to kill him out-of-hand. But in Halley's version, Phaethon kept control of the chariot and drove it successfully across the sky.

He premiered his fourth concerto to very good critical reviews and box-office receipts. Yet his overwhelming sense was that he had won a hollow victory. The critics said that his music was great only because he had suffered much in the creating of it. Halley considered that the critics missed the message. Worse yet, he strongly sensed that the critics would never accept the message even if they understood. Nor did he imagine that his audience understood his music any better than had the critics. His audience, in short, offered him pity, and pity was a thing he found patronizing, and even insulting.

He premiered his fourth concerto to very good critical reviews and box-office receipts. Yet his overwhelming sense was that he had won a hollow victory. The critics said that his music was great only because he had suffered much in the creating of it. Halley considered that the critics missed the message. Worse yet, he strongly sensed that the critics would never accept the message even if they understood. Nor did he imagine that his audience understood his music any better than had the critics. His audience, in short, offered him pity, and pity was a thing he found patronizing, and even insulting.

His final insight into what he called "the looter in spirit" came when he revived ''Phaëthon'' in April of 2008. Now audiences cheered. But they were cheering the struggling artist, with absolutely no appreciation for the work itself. He sensed also that his listeners expected him to acknowledge ''their'' value, ''specifically by virtue of his own achievement.'' Then and there he formed a resolution that his listeners would "never hear a note of [his] again."

His final insight into what he called "the looter in spirit" came when he revived ''Phaëthon'' in April 2008. Now audiences cheered. But they were cheering the struggling artist, with absolutely no appreciation for the work itself. He sensed also that his listeners expected him to acknowledge ''their'' value, ''specifically by virtue of his own achievement.'' Then and there he formed a resolution that his listeners would "never hear a note of [his] again."

He was last to leave the concert hall that night. As he walked the deserted streets, a young man waited for him, under a lamp. This man impressed Halley immediately, because he not only understood the message of his music, but gave every indication of appreciating it. But he did not spoil the interview by saying that "the people" somehow "needed" his music. Instead he told him, quite simply, that his listeners clearly did not deserve to hear it!

He was last to leave the concert hall that night. As he walked the deserted streets, a young man waited for him, under a lamp. This man impressed Halley immediately, because he not only understood the message of his music, but gave every indication of appreciating it. But he did not spoil the interview by saying that "the people" somehow "needed" his music. Instead he told him, quite simply, that his listeners clearly did not deserve to hear it!

Halley enthusiastically accepted Mulligan's offer, came to the place now known as [[Galt's Gulch]], and built his own modest house there. Halley grew fruit trees on the large leasehold that Midas offered him, and in his spare time composed a ''fifth'' concerto (The Concerto of Deliverance, dedicated to John Galt) and several other works. The novel says of the ''motifs'' of this concerto that "they spoke of rising and they were the rising itself." He played regularly, primarily in "command performances" before Midas, but also in annual concerts held every June during the strike period, as other strikers would gather in the valley to rest and compare notes. These engagements, such as they were, brought him a fairly comfortable living.

Halley enthusiastically accepted Mulligan's offer, came to the place now known as [[Galt's Gulch]], and built his own modest house there. Halley grew fruit trees on the large leasehold that Midas offered him, and in his spare time composed a ''fifth'' concerto (The Concerto of Deliverance, dedicated to John Galt) and several other works. The novel says of the ''motifs'' of this concerto that "they spoke of rising and they were the rising itself." He played regularly, primarily in "command performances" before Midas, but also in annual concerts held every June during the strike period, as other strikers would gather in the valley to rest and compare notes. These engagements, such as they were, brought him a fairly comfortable living.

Then, in November of 2017, [[Ellis Wyatt]] joined this commuity and led a large number of businessmen who came to the valley to reorganize their businesses within its confines. With those relocations, the strikers who had once been content to hear his concerts one month out of the year, now lived in the valley full-time. That allowed Halley to run a much-expanded annual concert season and play to much larger audiences.

Then, in November 2017, [[Ellis Wyatt]] joined this commuity and led a large number of businessmen who came to the valley to reorganize their businesses within its confines. With those relocations, the strikers who had once been content to hear his concerts one month out of the year, now lived in the valley full-time. That allowed Halley to run a much-expanded annual concert season and play to much larger audiences.

== Plagiarism ==

== Plagiarism ==

== Settlement ==

== Settlement ==

Whether Halley was part of [[Ragnar Danneskjöld]]'s hastily organized [[militia]] that rescued John Galt from his torturers at the [[State Science Institute]], the novel never makes clear. With that rescue came the final collapse of the "looters'" society. In April of 2020, John Galt announced that the strike was settled by default and that the men of the mind could return to the world. Presumably Halley appeared on a re-established concert circuit with a world premiere of his fifth concerto for piano and orchestra, and yet another revival of the opera ''Phaëthon''.

Whether Halley was part of [[Ragnar Danneskjöld]]'s hastily organized [[militia]] that rescued John Galt from his torturers at the [[State Science Institute]], the novel never makes clear. With that rescue came the final collapse of the "looters'" society. In April 2020, John Galt announced that the strike was settled by default and that the men of the mind could return to the world. Presumably Halley appeared on a re-established concert circuit with a world premiere of his fifth concerto for piano and orchestra, and yet another revival of the opera ''Phaëthon''.

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