In 1941, Pete Seeger and Woody Guthrie first heard the term “hootenanny” to describe a political group’s monthly musical fundraisers.

“‘Hootenanny!’ Why, I like the sound of it, Pete!” Guthrie said.

“Yup. Let’s take it national, Wood-Man!” Seeger replied. And they did.

But what if J.S. Bach and George Frederic Handel had wandered into a beer hall during the monthly Baroque music club’s monthly “hootenanny”? And THEY loved the term and appropriated it centuries before the folkies got it.

“I will compose Der Brandenburg Hootskies!” Bach crowed.

“And I will compose Der Hootenanny for Royal Fireworks!” chortled Handel.

If so, Friday’s Hygienic Hoot XLV, taking place Friday in New London’s Telegraph Autonomous Zone, would feature artists playing excerpts from operas and concertos, an étude or a sonata, and possibly a requiem or two.

No square dancing!

Well, the classical scenario didn’t happen, so the Hygienic Hoot features several of the region’s most popular acoustic singer-songwriter types, and not one of them is named Ludwig or Wolfgang.

On the bill: Dogbite Trio (6:30 p.m.), Bernadette Golden (6:50 p.m.), Olivia Charlotte (7:10 p.m.), Sandy Allen (7:30 p.m.), The Rivergods Duo with Ben and Nancy Parent (7:50 p.m.) and Brad Bensko (8:10 p.m.).

Hygienic Hoot, 6:30 p.m., Telegraph Autonomous Zone, 137 Bank St., New London; free; telegraphnl.com, (860) 701-0506.