The sum of Charlie Chaplin’s musical legacy is often and incorrectly considered to be the 1954 song, Smile, which began decades earlier as a love theme in the film Modern Times. For his Warner debut, violinist Philippe Quint, accompanied by pianist Marta Aznavoorian, and joined on two tracks by violinist Joshua Bell, reveals the true depths of Chaplin’s musical mind.

Chaplin composed for most of his career, publishing music from 1916, through the silent film era, and from 1931 composing film scores for the remainder of his life. He claimed music had “entered his soul” as a young man. But Chaplin struggled to be taken seriously. He couldn’t read or write notated music and was...