Hi,
There is a composition called "The Gloria" from the Mass "Puer Natus est Nobis" by Thomas Tallis, who was doing his thing in 1554 Tudor England. It is very solemn liturgical music:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s0vDZI6xszk
Tangerine Dream covered this almost 430 years later in the soundtrack for the Michael Mann film "The Keep", which is a favourite of mine for its great cast and photography, although Mann did put in a lot of frankly silly stuff. This great in a pair of good headphones:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ytf-S1KNdQc&NR=1
A cleaner version which is closer to the original is on the Tangerine Dream album release of the soundtrack:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=77tl_...eature=related
This would not be a record though for the greatest time span between original and cover. That might belong to the Boney M cover of Psalm 137, "By the Rivers of Babylon".
Cheers