Were silent films usually shown without music?

No. Silent films were commonly accompanied by music during cinema screenings. Calling a film silent does not mean its audience usually heard no music.

The George Eastman Museum describes pianists, organists and sometimes orchestras accompanying screenings. The Museum of the Moving Image explains that recorded accompaniment later offered theatre owners a way to reduce musicians' costs.

The distinction is between sound supplied with the film and sound supplied at the screening. Musical arrangements varied, so this does not mean every silent film had a dedicated score or every showing used the same accompaniment.