I'm sticking with 55 DAYS AT PEKING.
Roughly four decades: Fits the bill for this (1963).
Two estates: Bronston and Timokin
Complex score: Tiomkin always comes to mind (North would be my next choice.)
I'm not sure what would be considered unique about the orchestral requirements, but the recording sessions themselves were legendary. The roughly 75 minutes of music took four weeks to record, with Tiomkin virtually changing every written part from the podium. "28 Days at Pinewood" is what the musicians came to call it.
And as far as the recent discovery goes of the only known copy of the soundtrack sessions, Otto Snel, a sound mixer who worked with Gordon K. McCallum at Pinewood (IMDB lists 55 DAYS AT PEKING as his first credit) said on an internet messageboard in July, 2005, that he had a quarter-inch tape of the sessions in excellent condition. You can read the whole thread here (it's very, very interesting):
Now, if it's not 55 DAYS AT PEKING, them maybe someone should contact Mr. Snel, if he's still living, and see exactly what he has in his possession.
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