In an inspired bit of programming, the Jupiter Symphony Chamber Players presented a concert Monday at the Good Shepherd Church that featured not only the trio inspired by a famous Austrian archduke but also a trio written by the man himself. The man in question? Not Franz Ferdinand, but rather the most famous archduke in music history, Rudolph von Habsburg, brother of the emperor of Austria.

Of course, no composer ever said a bad word in public about his patron, but Beethoven appears to have genuinely loved Habsburg, keeping him on as a student for many years. The Piano Trio in B Flat Major, affectionately known as the Archduke, is not even the greatest piece of music dedicated to the man, since Beethoven named him as the honoree for both his fourth and fifth piano concertos. Further, it was Habsburg’s elevation to bishop once he decided to take holy orders — it was good to be born noble in those days — that engendered the writing of the great, but now virtually forgotten in live performance, Missa Solemnis. Habsburg reciprocated by setting up a monetary fund for Beethoven, the only condition of which was that the composer remain in Vienna to reap its rewards.

Clarinetist Vadim Lando, cellist Ani Aznavoorian, and pianist Ilya Itin presented the Trio in E Flat Major written by the aristocrat in 1813. It turned out to be an inventive, ebullient piece, more evocative of Schubert than of Beethoven. The Allegro moderato is gently rocking in that signature Viennese way, the middle Larghetto begins like a hymn and proceeds into a lively set of variations, and the Scherzo is light and airy. Full of melodic freshness, the work entertains, if not inspires, and certainly is the equal of thousands of other efforts of the period.

Monday’s performance was smooth and argued convincingly for its inclusion into the repertoire. It was also likely much more successful than the historical performance Mr. Lando discussed: Beethoven himself was at the keyboard then, but was, by the time in question, stone-cold deaf. His lowered tones were inaudible, his fortes clangorous. Mr. Itin was decidedly more in control.

When I read on the schedule that this soiree would also include a work by Foerster, I assumed this was Joseph Bohuslav Foerster, the significant Bohemian composer of opera and a friend of Gustav Mahler in Vienna. In actuality, though, the Foerster in question was the obscure composer Emanuel Aloys Foerster, a mentor and friend to Beethoven and a prolific producer of chamber music, with 48 string quartets to his credit. The work presented Monday was the String Quintet in C Minor, and it proved to be an essay of substance. Ms. Aznavoorian was joined by violinists Dmitri Berlinsky and Lisa Shihoten, as well as violists Max Mandel and Eric Nowlin. I was especially taken with the gravitas of the work, which was splendidly displayed by this well-blended ensemble. The musicians’ virtually flawless playing made me yearn to hear more of this shadowy figure of the past, whom Beethoven referred to as his “master.”

Finally the “Archduke” itself. Arguably the finest trio for violin, cello, and piano ever written, it begins marvelously and expansively with an unforgettable, glorious melody that immediately establishes its nobility. This broad stroke sets the tone for the entire piece, a monumental work of larger-than-life architecture in which thoughts develop organically and unhurriedly. The players, including Mr. Berlinsky as the fiddler, were true to this big gesture style, notably in the apple-cheeked Scherzo. Ms. Aznavoorian was particularly spirited in the pizzicato section, singing out the optimistic melody with a good deal of brio. Overall, the ensemble sound of the group was fine, but there were some lesser moments.

The final movement should begin very dramatically, which it did during this realization. The chord, though, meant to be shocking, was sour and strident — an unwanted beginning. And occasionally, the enthusiasm of the musicians created loud passages that turned harsh, especially in the Presto. This edginess, though, may have been at least partially the result of tricky acoustics in the church.

Mr. Itin went off of the rails a couple of times in this difficult piano part, and his phrasing was a bit frustrating in more delicate spots. He also has a tendency to begin these lighter touch passages exactly on the beat. What’s wrong with that? Well, strictly speaking, not a thing — but they would be considerably more eloquent with just the slightest of pauses before the commencement of enunciation.

Mr. Itin’s metrics are fine. He just needs to work on his poetics. After all, he wouldn’t want to end up a secondrate pianist like Beethoven.