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The sound of the first new musical instrument invented the century.

The horn.

Made by just one small Swiss company since the year 2000,

this tuned metal pan looks like a cross between a wok and a flying saucer.

Virtually impossible to buy, it's become an enormous success online,

perhaps the first instrument to go viral.

Some hung videos on YouTube have over 7 million hits

from a vast online community of enthusiasts.

Whole websites are dedicated to these bizarre sound sculptures.

I'm Evelyn Glenny and in this programme for the BBC World Service,

I'll be discovering the story of this extraordinary new instrument.

It's roots, it's players and the online community that have taken it to heart.

Here we are in my studio and goodness me,

there are so many instruments of all shapes and sizes and of course,

percussion is always developing, there's always something new to explore.

And I'm standing in front of this wonderful instrument called an alufone

and basically each bell that is struck is shaped like a hubcap in a way,

just fascinating to look at.

This is a range of phone and it consists of tuned spanners.

...