Final answer:
Familiar songs in silent films were used to enhance the emotional impact of the scene, as music can evoke a wide range of emotions and audience responses.
Step-by-step explanation:
Accompanists made frequent references to songs familiar to the audience in silent films because they knew that familiar songs enhanced the emotional impact of the scene. Music plays a powerful role in eliciting emotions such as joy, sadness, fear, and nostalgia. Whether it's the suspenseful undercurrent in a thriller or the exuberant sounds in a comedy, music underscores the emotions the characters are feeling and can influence the audience's response.
Sometimes music may also help in creating a sense of nostalgia or in giving cues to help the audience understand the plot better, but its primary role is to enhance the emotional context of the scene.