GG's friendship with David Bar-Illan

[aq094@lafn.org (Eugene Selig)]

I once read an interview with the Israeli pianist, who was a contemporary 
of GG, but who seems to have disappeared after a short career. In the 
interview, DB said that GG considered themselves to be "soul mates." DB 
also said that GG "lives, absolutely, as he chooses," referring to GG's 
enviable life-style, i.e., having given up concertizing and retaining 
friendships largely via telephone contact, thereby controlling the time 
others could intrude on GG's life. 
I'm wondering if any of the f_minor group who are in-depth students of our
subject could comment on whether the two men ever met. Could GG bestow the 
rare compliment based only on a relationship sustained by phone? Also, what 
happened to DB?